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Duke has had a frustrating time with Louisville lately and had lost three straight to the Cardinals including an overtime loss in Cameron near the end of the regular season.
As we’ve said before, a young team has to at some point just decide it’s not going to take losing anymore and Duke appears to have hit that point. We’re not saying Duke can’t be beat but we are saying the other team will have to earn it.
Duke came out and really went after Louisville and on top of everything that went well for the Blue Devils, Mark Williams had what Mason Plumlee once called a “man’s 2” with 23 points and 19 rebounds.
That was a tremendous performance, not least of all when you consider how often Louisville affected his shot or knocked the ball loose. Williams could easily put on 30-40 lbs. as he matures and when he does, he’s going to be impossible to deal with. Strength is about the only thing he lacks right now.
But it wasn’t just Williams. Duke has made a typical late-season adjustment, giving Wendell Moore more ball-handling responsibilities. It’s helped out the freshmen guards DJ Steward and Jeremy Roach, who have been mistake prone and had way too many turnovers. In this game Steward had one and Roach had none.
True, Moore has had four in each game so far but he is much steadier now than he was earlier in the season and is playing like a veteran. And look at his stat line: nine points, six boards and five assists. His play has made a huge difference.
Matthew Hurt played well too, shooting 7-12 and scoring 20 while grabbing five boards of his own. Duke lacks a serious power player right now but Hurt at times does a pretty good job of that.
Duke also held Louisville’s Carlik Jones to 13 on 5-14 shooting and just one three. In the previous two games, he had had 24 and 25 and Duke lost by five and seven.
So the Devils live to fight another day which means Florida State Thursday night. And they’re looking reasonably fresh too, which is good because FSU can wear a team out.
Jim will be along soon with his take from courtside.
- Duke beats Louisville, will meet Florida State in ACC Tournament quarterfinals
- Mark Williams sets ACC record in win over Louisville
- N.C. State eliminated from ACC Tournament
- Q&A: 5 questions with the latest 910Preps Athlete of the Week (March 1-5)
- ECU’s Jayden Gardner adds to list of accolades
- ACC tourney notes: Duke delights in cheering on Coach K’s grandson, role players
- MAKING HIS MARK: Duke men’s basketball rolls past Louisville behind Mark Williams’ 23-point, 19-rebound effort
- Five observations from Duke men’s basketball’s first half against Louisville
- Two wins down. Duke advances to ACC tournament quarterfinals after beating Louisville.
- Blue Devils avenge regular-season sweep with 70-56 win over Cards
- Coach K, players speak after taking down Louisville
- Williams’ Big Night Leads Duke Past Louisville, 70-56
- BOX SCORE (PDF)
- Photo Gallery
- ACC tourney notes: Duke delights in cheering on Coach K’s grandson, role players
Poll
Player Of The Game vs. Louisville
This poll is closed
-
0%
Wendell Moore
(3 votes) -
0%
Matthew Hurt
(3 votes) -
96%
Mark Williams
(450 votes) -
0%
DJ Steward
(1 vote) -
0%
Jeremy Roach
(1 vote) -
0%
Henry Coleman
(0 votes) -
0%
Jaemyn Brakefield
(2 votes) -
0%
Joey Baker
(4 votes) -
0%
Jordan Goldwire
(2 votes)