DUKE 79 - DAVIDSON 67 -- FINAL: Out of the timeout, Duke possesses the ball for close to a minute after two missed shots are retained by the Blue Devils' consistently impressive offensive rebounding. A checking foul is called on Davidson, and Lance Thomas goes to the line where he makes both. Next time down the court, Scheyer draws a foul of his own and converts 1-of-2. As the clock ticks down below the two-minute mark and Duke leads by 11, something magical will most likely have to happen for the Wildcats to complete the massive comeback bid.
Perhaps the exact opposite happens though, as Scheyer steals it away from Curry, leads the charge down the court and drains a transition 3-pointer. Curry would respond with a old-fashioned three-point play, but Duke's lead is now safely in the sure free-throw shooting hands of Scheyer, who just sank another two to bring his total to 22. Really, his 17 second-half points were key to Duke's being able to stiff arm Davidson comeback attempt. And a cool sidenote, the 22nd point was exactly the junior captain's 1,000th career point.
Since Coach K's timeout at the 3:32 mark, Duke has outscored Davidson 12-6. Exactly what the doctor ordered. Now, that's coaching.
DUKE 69 - DAVIDSON 61 -- 3:32: The Crazies let Curry hear it (Airball! Airball!) after his 3-point attempt hits absolutely nothing. Welcome to Cameron Indoor, Stephen.
Davidson calls a timeout at the 5:14 mark, just after Curry was blocked by both Scheyer and Singler. Duke's lead has shrunk though, now at just 12 points.
After the timeout, Curry drives and finger rolls it in to make it 69-59. His 23 points--just 8 in the first half, remember--now leads all scorers. A inside basket by Lovedale, and Duke is officially in Oh-No Mode. The entire crowd is on its feet as Mike Krzyzewski calls a timeout with 3:32 left to try to get his team back on the scoring track.
DUKE 68 - DAVIDSON 52 -- 7:36: Coach's son Brendan McKillop nails a 3-pointer on the right side that brings the Davidson bench to its feet. But at the other end, Scheyer gets Curry in the air with a pump fake, as he does so well, then draws the foul, converts the jumper and sinks the ensuing free throw. Scheyer is keeping pace with Curry's second-half showcase, scoring 11 points after notching just 5 before the break.
More at the next TV timeout.
DUKE 63 - DAVIDSON 49 -- 8:47: Okay, so this Curry guy's pretty good. He has more points in the first ten minutes of the second half (13) than he did all of the first half (8). And before this is over, he might even do enough to make this humble writer eat his own words. Duke's offense has gone a little cold and the defense has allowed a few easy baskets. That combined with the emergence of Curry has produced a 13-2 Davidson run, closing the gap from as much as 26 to a within-striking-distance 14. Duke calls a timeout.
DUKE 63 - DAVIDSON 44 -- 10:55: Coming into this game, many people were anxious to see how Duke would fare not only against the oft-times giant-killer Davidson but also as the newly ranked No. 2 team in the country. Some don't think the Blue Devils worthy of such a lofty spot, but the doubters certainly haven't bother the players at all as the offense has caught fire. Henderson raised his total on the night to 8 points with a gracefully athletic spin-around jumper, and Singler continued his great night with another basket, this one in transition, for points 18 and 19. With more than 15 minutes to play, he was still the only player from both squads in double-digits.
But he gained some company after two baseline 3-pointers from Henderson and Scheyer, each with 11, bringing Duke's lead to 57-31, its largest of the night.
The Wildcats have started to come awake, sparked by a quick five points from Curry (14 total) and two baskets by Will Archambault. The Blue Devils are just so much bigger inside though, allowing them twice to score second-chance baskets thanks to the strong rebounding of Singler and Lance Thomas.
Poster Moment of The Night: A breakdown in Duke's defense allows Stephen Curry to literally run straight down the court unguarded to the basket. The result was soaring Curry dunk and a enthused reaction from the Davidson bench. Alas, the crowd's chant of "Scoreboard!" rings truer to the point that, facing a 21-point deficit with 10:55 left, it most likely is too little, too late.
DUKE 47 - DAVIDSON 26 -- 17:14: Well, the Blue Devils certainly know how to make a statement. Within the two minutes of the second half, Gerald Henderson brought the house down with a rim-rocking dunk and Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer both sank 3-pointers off the right wing.
If Davidson had had any life left, it looks like Duke may have extinguished it with the fast start. In less than three minutes, a 13-point halftime deficit became a 21-point daunting, and possibly insurmountable, uphill climb. Perhaps thinking the same thing, Davidson head coach Bob McKillop called a timeout to talk things over.
DUKE 37 - DAVIDSON 24 -- HALFTIME: The second half is about to start, so here's a look at the boxscore.
The Number That Matter:
Points off Turnovers - Duke 15, Davidson 4
Second-Chance Points - Duke 10, Davidson 0
Rebounds (Offensive) - Duke 17 (7), Davidson 9 (2)
Curry's Statline - 4-9 FG, 0-3 3pt., 8 points
DUKE 37 - DAVIDSON 24 -- HALFTIME: Funny Moment of The Night so far: While waiting for Singler to step to the line for two free throws after a shooting foul, the Cameron Crazies began a chant of "Tuck your shirt in!" aimed at Stephen Curry. Whether encouraged by the crowd or on his own volition, Curry obliged and even received a round of applause for it.
Curry is beginning to make his presence felt, sinking a jumper from just inside the 3-point line and then notching a nifty dime to Andrew Lovedale on a fast break. The Duke offense is starting to gel, though. Singler is having himself quite a game, pacing all scorers with 14 points, and Greg Paulus brought his total points to five on a rainbow-like fadeaway over Curry's outstretched arms. Then, with time expiring, Zoubek scored a strange basket only a 7-footer would be capable of. Scheyer's shot was short, but Zoubek tipped the ball back up over the basket with his left hand then tipped it once more from the other side of the rim with his right hand into the net as the horn sounded halftime. Funny Moment of The Night II.
DUKE 29 - DAVIDSON 16 -- 3:43: Curry scores his first basket of the night on an athletic drive past everyone, but Jon Scheyer quickly responded on the other end. First getting his man in the air with a pump fake at the arc, Scheyer stepped past, pulled up and nailed a jumper even with the defender slapping his arm. The made free throw gave Duke a 25-14 lead, its largest of the night.
The lead would grow though, as Scheyer nailed two more free throws following an off-ball foul and Singler converted a pretty floater in the lane after beating his man off the dribble from the top of the key. Curry scored once more, breaking open off a screen as he has shown himself dangerously capable of dozens of times before, but Davidson will need more out of him--and soon--or the Blue Devils will win this one going away.
DUKE 18 - DAVIDSON 12 -- 7:41: Duke has put Singler and now Lance Thomas out on Curry, using their length to put a hand in Curry's face almost as soon as soon as he crosses midcourt.
A few referee decisions stymied Duke's attack, as a travel negated what looked like a pretty three-point play by Singler and then Gerald Henderson was slapped with a questionable charge for already his second foul of the contest. At the 8:56 mark, Singler was also called for a charge, making it the fourth offensive oul or traveling violation against Duke in the last three minutes.
Nolan Smith scored Duke's first basket since the last TV timeout, driving off the wing and converting a floater. Both offenses appear out of sync, and it's just a matter of whose gets back in gear first. Curry may be the man so many are eager to watch tonight, but so far he has been kept in check. If Davidson's offense lives and dies by him, he'll have to get hot in order for the Wildcats to pull off the upset.
DUKE 16 - DAVIDSON 10 -- 11:29: After some technical difficulties were ironed out, we finally come to you from inside Cameron Indoor. Here's a quick catch-up.
Head coach Bob McKillop just benched Stephen Curry, who has been conspicuously absent from this game anyway. He has two turnovers already and hasn't even attempted a shot. The Blue Devils are playing excellent defense on him, guarding him five or six feet beyond the arc with a hand in his face at all times.
It's clear there is some serious athleticism on both sides of the court here tonight, though admittedly Duke has appeared to have a bit more so far. Kyle Singler has hit two big 3-pointers and leads all scorers with 8 points early on in this game.
Curry did come back in the game and missed his first 3-pointer of the game, but Davidson does have other shooters. Will Archambault and Steve Rossiter have each hit big ones to keep the Blue Devils from pulling away too far. The Wildcats have committed a few silly turnovers though, and it will only be a matter of time before Duke really makes them pay for it if they don't shore up some of those mistakes. The Blue Devils appear like they might be on the brink of one of their trademark runs, as shots are starting to fall and Davidson looks to be clinging on right now.
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