In the premier matchup of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Duke surged to beat Ohio State 73 to 68. The Blue Devils and the Buckeyes showed their tough defensive side as each team had one their lowest scoring games, Ohio State earning their lowest point total of the season. Down eight points at the half, Duke stormed back with the leadership of veteran Mason Plumlee and the pure athleticism of freshman Rasheed Sulaimon.
Here’s your postgame recap:
Revisiting the three keys to the game:
- Points of Concern: The Cook-Craft Matchup: Cook and Craft virtually contained each other, scoring two and three points respectively and each shooting at or under 30 percent. Cook finished 3-for-10 with 12 points and Craft totaled 11 points, going 3-for-15.
- Chairmen of the Boards: Ohio State dominated in both offensive and defensive rebounds, grabbing 20 compared to Duke's 14 in the first half. This momentum shifted in the second half, as Mason Plumlee and the Blue Devils controlled the boards 21 to 15.
- Success from the Charity Stripe: The Blue Devils made the most of their foul shots, shooting 20-for-27 (74.1 percent) from the line, barely edging out Ohio State's 72.7 percent. Mason Plumlee, who began pregame warmups at the line, was 9-for-12.
Three key plays of the game:
- 13:26, first half. Ohio State guard Lenzelle Smith, Jr. missed a three-point shot, which ricocheted off the rim into the hands of guard Aaron Craft. Craft backed up to the arc and fired a wide open three into the hoop. The Buckeyes went on a 16-to-12 run in the following nine minutes, the Blue Devils were unable to make a field goal during this time.
- 17:42, second half. Duke guard Cook launched a pass to Mason Plumlee, who met the ball at the basket and slammed it down with one hand. Already fired up from a Rasheed Sulaimon jumper and a Cook defensive rebound, the Cameron Crazies erupted in cheers and forced Ohio State coach Thad Matta to take a timeout.
- 6:15, second half: Duke forward Ryan Kelly received a quick pass from guard Tyler Thornton, squared up, and knocked down a three to tie the game 53-53. On the next possession, Mason Plumlee missed a dunk but was able to grab his own rebound, pass the ball to Cook, who tossed it back to Kelly. Kelly proceeded to make a second three to propel the Blue Devils into the lead. Duke never looked back.
Three key stats:
- Duke out-shot the Buckeyes 47 to 34 in field goal percentage. Ohio State straight up beat Duke in overall shots 68 to 41. In the second half, Duke began to take better shots and greatly improved their overall field goal percentage from the first half.
- Ohio State beat the Blue Devils on the offensive glass 16 to seven. The Buckeyes seemed to always be in the right place at the right time, clearly outplaying Duke underneath the basket on offense. Ohio State center Amir Williams had 10 rebounds off the bench, six on offense side. In the first half, the Buckeyes benefited greatly from offensive rebounds.
- 17 Rasheed Sulaimon second half points. Scoreless in the first half, the young guard went 7-for-11 in field goals, adding two three-point shots and a free throw. Sulaimon also managed to collect four rebounds.
And the Duke game ball goes to ... Mason Plumlee: The standout Duke forward had a very impressive second half. Plumlee totaled 21 points, and dominated the boards with 17 rebounds. He shot 75 percent from the free throw line, just under his season average.
And the Ohio State game ball goes to ... Deshaun Thomas: Thomas continued his reign as the team's leading scorer, contributing 16 points to Ohio State's total. The star forward also had two rebounds and a steal.
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