Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Payback is slow but ugly

DUKE 80, FSU 49: Blue Devils overcome rough half, avenge loss by closing with 36-11 run.

Compiled from Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 8, 2002

DURHAM, N.C. -- After its worst half of the season, No. 1 Duke just went with the flow.

Mike Dunleavy scored 20, Dahntay Jones added 18 and the Blue Devils shot 60 percent in the second half to get revenge on Florida State with an 80-49 victory Thursday night.

Many believed the Blue Devils would roll over a team that gave them their only loss a month ago. That was far from the case as the Seminoles made Duke look more like an NCAA Tournament bubble team than contender to defend its national title much of the night.

Then came a closing 36-11 run.

"We figured out we were just going to have to play by instinct," Dunleavy said. "We ran in transition, and when we didn't have something we pulled it out and made plays.

"We didn't run one play in the second half, and that was the difference. For the first time all year on offense we were taken back by how we couldn't score. But we settled down and got it done."

One Florida State fan even brought a broom to Cameron Indoor Stadium in case the Seminoles knocked off the nation's top team for the second time. That may have been asking too much from a .500 club that shot 29 percent in the second half.

"I told our guys that Duke comes at you for 40 minutes and you've got to be able to attack back, and when you attack back you've got to score," FSU coach Steve Robinson said. "If you don't score they can put such a barrage on you."

Duke, which won its ninth straight by double figures since the 77-76 road loss Jan. 6, got its first 10-point lead with 13:57 left.

The Blue Devils got breathing room minutes later when Dunleavy hit a baseline jumper, a 3-pointer and a driving dunk in a 12-0 run for a 56-38 lead.

"Guys found holes in the defense and kicked it out to me," Dunleavy said. "A lot of it was off transition stuff. I'm learning how to finish strong in there against those big guys."

Florida State changed defenses and used its athletic ability to force Duke's powerful offense into 21 turnovers. Many Duke players shook their heads and showed frustration as an offense that averages 91.5 points bogged down until the final run.

All-America guard Jason Williams had one of his worst shooting games of the season. The ACC scoring leader went in averaging 21.9 but had seven points on 3-for-13 shooting.

That was nothing compared with FSU's Monte Cummings, who averages a team-leading 15.6 points but was held to one point on 0-for-9 shooting.

"Monte Cummings won't be the first, nor will he be the last guy who is a good scorer who comes in here and does not find the mark," Robinson said.

Michael Joiner led the Seminoles with 13 points.

Duke's outside game also was off. The Blue Devils hit 15 3-pointers against FSU in the first meeting but were 8-for-24 Thursday after starting 1-for-11.

Perhaps too eager to bury the Seminoles early, Duke missed 12 of its first 13 shots as the nation's top scoring offense managed two points through seven minutes.

"We wanted to come out and put that initial Duke blow on them that we're used to and things just didn't work our way," Williams said. "I know I missed a lot of shots."

In the final 21/2 minutes of the first half, Williams, Dunleavy and Chris Duhon missed 3-pointers within 15 seconds, and after a turnover Jones and Williams had consecutive shots blocked.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski turned away in disgust as Duke worked for the final shot of the half, only to have the 35-second shot clock run out.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright