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Duke’s triple crown

Duke 82, Arizona 72: Shane Battier delivers down the stretch and the Blue Devils take home their third national title.

[AP photos] Duke players hoist the championship trophy after beating Arizona 82-72 in the final game of the Final Four on Monday in Minneapolis.

By BRIAN LANDMAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 3, 2001

MINNEAPOLIS -- Duke senior forward Shane Battier spent much of the past few days picking up various awards and honors.

[AP photo] Duke's Shane Battier slams the ball through the rim during action Monday night.

He showed why Monday night and then got the one he wanted most, the national championship trophy. Battier delivered the game-breaking plays in the final moments as the Blue Devils beat Arizona 82-72 in front of a crowd of 45,994 at the Metrodome.

With the top-ranked Blue Devils clinging to a 71-68 lead, Battier had a follow dunk, a tip-in and a thunderous one-handed dunk to pad the lead to 77-72. After fellow All-American Jason Williams hit a three-pointer, Battier blocked a shot as the Duke fans began chanting, "Who's Your Daddy? Battier."

The championship for Duke is its third (including 1991 and 1992) and moves coach Mike Krzyzewski into a tie with his mentor, Bob Knight, for third on the all-time list, behind John Wooden (10) and Adolph Rupp (four).

The No. 5-ranked Wildcats (28-8) ended an emotional season during which the preseason No. 1 team endured suspensions, a poor start and the death of coach Lute Olson's wife, Bobbi, on Jan. 1 from cancer.

Battier, the consensus player of the year, finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two blocks. He was named the Final Four's outstanding player.

The Wildcats started quickly, taking advantage of 7-foot-1 senior center Loren Woods' 5-inch edge on Battier, a three-time national defensive player of the year. Woods scored five of his 13 first-half points in the opening moments to help give his team an 11-6 lead.

The Blue Devils rallied to take their first lead, 18-17, on an inside basket by sophomore center Carlos Boozer with 9:29 left in the half. Boozer, who Saturday night had his best game since returning in the Sweet 16 from a broken bone in his right foot, continued to play well at both ends.

Still, the Blue Devils, renowned for game-breaking runs, couldn't pull away by more than a four points and had to settle for a 35-33 halftime lead.

Duke, which set the NCAA season record for three-pointers (398-of-1,030 entering the game), hit 4-of-15 from beyond the arc against Arizona's constantly changing defense.

The Wildcats had to consider themselves lucky to be so close given their offensive problems.

University of Arizona fans overturn cars before setting them on fire Monday in Tucson, Ariz., after the University of Arizona Wildcats lost the NCAA championship game to Duke. A motor home and several cars were set on fire and overturned.

They turned the ball over five times, almost as many as they did (eight) against Michigan State. Sophomore guards Gilbert Arenas, perhaps showing ill effects from a chest bruise near his right shoulder, and Jason Gardner were a combined 3-of-14 from the field.

Duke quickly extended its lead to 50-39 as sophomore forward Mike Dunleavy hit three three-pointers in less than a minute. Junior forward Richard Jefferson answered with a three, his team's first after 10 misses, that sparked a 9-0 run to Arizona's deficit to 50-48 with 14:11 left.

Dunleavy, who had made 1 of 6 shots in the first half and even passed up an open shot that resulted in a turnover, continued his torrid shooting.

He hit a layup, a breakaway dunk off a steal by former Tampa Prep standout Casey Sanders, another short basket and a fourth three-pointer for a 61-51 lead with 10:08 remaining.

Duke seemingly lost momentum when All-American sophomore guard Jason Williams picked up his fourth foul 45 seconds later. But Battier hit a leaner in the lane, drew a foul and completed a three-point play to give the Blue Devils their largest lead, 64-52, with 8:27 left.

Woods and Jefferson combined for 12 points in the next few minutes to cut the deficit to 71-68. That only set the stage for Battier.

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