One hundred seconds.
One hundred frantic, flying-through-the-air-parallel-to-the-ground-for-the-tip seconds. One hundred flip-it-behind-the-back-and-down-the-court or outduel-four-Longhorns-for-the-rebound seconds. One hundred get-every-bounce seconds.
The final 100 seconds of Saturday night's second-round thriller in Greensboro were about more than surviving and advancing, though.
They were about saving a season and restoring a reputation, as Duke earned a trip to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2006.
The No. 2 Blue Devils travel northeast to Boston, however, far from content with what they achieved in the Tournament's first weekend. This is Duke, after all.
"It's a good accomplishment," sophomore Kyle Singler said of reaching the NCAA Tournament's second weekend. "But we can't stay satisfied with just getting to the Sweet 16. It's a kind of benchmark that we got to, but now we just have to stay hungry like we have these last couple weeks."
The last two weekends have followed a similar pattern for the Blue Devils: they have each started with a late-night weeknight game and ended with Duke doing something it hadn't done in three years. First it was an ACC Tournament title, next it was a Sweet 16.
The Blue Devils (30-6) look to continue the trend in Boston, starting off with the 9:57 p.m. tip against No. 3 Villanova (28-7) Thursday night at TD Banknorth Garden.
Duke enters the highly anticipated matchup with momentum and confidence derived from five consecutive victories over NCAA Tournament teams-something no other squad in the nation can boast.
"There's no way you don't come out of the last weekend not confident," head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "When you accomplish, that's how you gain confidence. Two pretty tough weekends, and they've won. A lot of plays made."
The Blue Devils will need to continue making plays if they wish to go further than any Duke team since the school's last trip to the Final Four in 2004. Before the last two seasons, the Blue Devils' struggles in the Tournament were reflected in disappointing losses in the Sweet 16.
Top-seeded Duke squads fell in the regional semifinals to No. 4 LSU in 2006, fifth-seeded Michigan State in 2005 and No. 5 Indiana in 2002. Overall, the Blue Devils are just 1-4 in their last five trips to the Sweet 16.
That's old history for this year's team, however, which contains only three players who have been to a regional before. For all five starters, it's a new experience.
"I know they're really excited," Krzyzewski said. "I think it's a neat thing because it's refreshing, it's fun. Our kids were so happy these last two weekends-true happiness. I love it. I'm just so happy for these kids."
The Blue Devils' relative inexperience clashes with one of the most veteran teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament field.
Villanova is making its fourth appearance in the Sweet 16 in the last five seasons-tied for the most in the country with North Carolina and Memphis-and the Wildcats' roster boasts three senior starters along the front line.
That's one of the only differences between the two teams. Both Duke and Villanova boast guard-heavy lineups that look to push tempo and attack the basket. Kyle Singler and Dante Cunningham are each forwards that do a lot of their damage from the perimeter.
"They're very similar to us," sophomore guard Nolan Smith said. "We match up great with them. They play three or four guards, just like we do. It's going to be a great matchup."
It's a matchup three years in the waiting for the Blue Devils-and they're eager to see if they can pass their next and biggest test of the season.
"If we want to accomplish some of the things we said we were going to accomplish at the beginning of the year... everybody has to play well," junior Gerald Henderson said. "You just go after it and put everything you have into it, see what happens and see what you're made of."
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