Technically, Duke’s 63-62 win over #7 Virginia wasn’t an upset, since the Blue Devils were favored by two going in.
But notice the lack of a number by Duke’s name. That will change after a second win over a ranked team in six days, both at home, which of course helps.
There are worse things, though, than losing by a point on a controversial buzzer-beater on the road at the defending national champs.
(Even if this Duke team barely resembles last year’s national champs.)
KenPom.com agrees. As of this writing, Virginia sits at #2 in the power rankings, behind only Villanova.
That’s a season-high for UVA this year, which spent a good bit of time last year in the #2 spot, you may remember.
Defense clamps down late
Duke led 51-44 with 12:17 to go when Tony Bennett called a timeout to try to right the ship. He countered Brandon Ingram’s torrid streak from the field (the frosh went 9-of-10 over an 11-minute stretch, with four threes and 22 of his 25 points) by going four-guard, putting Malcolm Brogdon on Ingram.
Duke was 2-for-13 from the field the rest of the way, the second shot being the game-winner at the buzzer.
If not for generous officiating that sent Grayson Allen to the line four times in a four-minute stretch (Allen made seven of the eight free tosses), Duke would have had next to nothing over the final 12.
Perspective on Ingram
Ingram was 9-of-10 for 22 points over an 11-minute stretch spanning the end of the first half and the first 3:20 of the second half.
He had three points on 1-of-12 shooting in his other 27 minutes on the floor.
Tobey?
Mike Tobey looked All-World in the first half, scoring eight points on 4-of-5 shooting in 10 minutes. Then he remembered that he was Mike Tobey, and non-factored himself in the second half, going a meek 0-of-2 from the floor and contributing a single rebound in nine minutes.
Gill doesn’t rebound anymore
Anthony Gill had four rebounds Saturday, and you have to wonder now if rebounding is just something he doesn’t do anymore.
Gill has nine rebounds in 74 minutes over his last three games – yeah, 3.0 rebounds per game in that stretch.
It’s going to be really hard to win any trophies with a power forward who can’t rebound and can’t guard stretch fours.
Odd stat of the night
And there were plenty of them …
London Perrantes, the ACC’s best three-point shooter (53.4 percent) coming in, didn’t even attempt a three on Saturday.
Another streak broken
Virginia had won seven straight coming in. Done.
The Cavs had held its last four opponents under 1.000 points per possession. Grayson Allen’s shot still counts, so Duke scored 1.033 points per possession.
UVA still bumped up a spot in the national rankings in defensive efficiency to ninth (.924 points per possession). Maryland had been ninth, but the Terps got torched for 1.11 points per possession by Wisconsin in a 70-57 home loss on Saturday.
Minutes Watch
Perrantes went 39, which I didn’t realize watching the game. Brogdon played 33, Devon Hall 25, Gill 24, Darius Thompson 22 (didn’t realize this, either), Tobey 19, Shayok 16, Isaiah Wilkins just 12 because of foul trouble, and Evan Nolte 10.
– Compiled by Chris Graham
Share
Contributors
