#2 Duke shoots the lights out, defeats #3 UVA, 81-71

Second-ranked Duke never trailed, and couldn’t seem to miss, and #3 UVA just couldn’t keep up, in an 81-71 Blue Devils win Saturday night.

It was a big-game atmosphere in JPJ, with NBA superstar Lebron James among those in attendance.

Duke (21-2, 9-1 ACC) started out hot, hitting its first five threes, and really didn’t cool down from there, connecting on 13-of-21 from long-range.

Emblematic of the night for the Blue Devils, a 30.8 percent three-point shooting team: R.J. Barrett, a 31.4 percent shooter this season from three-point range, hit five of his first six bombs, and finished 6-of-10.

Cam Reddish, a 34 percent shooter from three this season, was 5-of-8.

It was that kind of night for Duke.

For UVA (20-2, 8-2 ACC), it was a night of playing from behind. Duke led 8-0, 19-9 and 29-15, but Virginia closed to 39-35 at the half.

The Blue Devils opened the second half on a 12-6 run to get the margin back to double digits.

The ‘Hoos would twice get the margin to five, the final time on a De’Andre Hunter three with 5:25 left, but Duke had the answer each time.

Duke shot 57.8 percent from the floor (26-of-45), and was led by Barrett’s 26 points (8-of-15 FG).

Zion Williamson had 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Reddish had 17 (6-of-10 shooting).

Point guard Tre Jones, who missed the first matchup between the two teams last month in Durham, a 72-70 Duke win, had 13 points and seven assists.

Virginia shot 46.7 percent from the field (28-of-60) and 10-of-24 (41.7 percent) from three-point range.

Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome each had 16 points. Guy shot 6-of-15 from the floor and was 3-of-9 from three-point range. Jerome was 6-of-11 from the floor and 2-of-5 on threes.

Hunter had 11 points (4-of-9 FG).

Story by Chris Graham