Sports
Experience pays off for Duke over Kentucky
Christian Laettner was safely seated courtside at the Georgia Dome in a V-neck sweater, out of harm’s way, and No. 3 Kentucky had 75 percent of the 22, 847 fans at the Champions Classic cheering in its favor.
But No. 9 Duke had three senior starters and a big edge in experience, which showed, especially this early in the season. In a Final Four worthy-showdown in only the second game of the season for both teams, Duke held off Kentucky 75-68 in the night cap of a powerhouse doubleheader.
This college basketball season started a lot like the last one ended, with defending national champion Kentucky (1-1), showing off its impressive freshmen talent. But Duke (2-0) withstood a barrage of alley-oops and monstrous dunks from Alex Poythress and Nerlens Noel and won even after Mason Plumlee picked up his fourth foul four minutes into the second half.
Senior guard Seth Curry scored 14 of his 23 points in the second half, including eight straight points coming down the stretch, and he made all four of his free throws in the final two minutes. Plumlee played the better part of 10 minutes before fouling out with 34.3 seconds to play and finishing with 18 points.
“I thought (Curry) took control of the game,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “He wanted the ball in his hands. And he made veteran, tough plays down the stretch. I’m so proud of him.”
Krzyzewski moved to 5-1 against Kentucky, and Duke won for the sixth time in the past seven meetings between the two heavyweight programs. The two teams were playing for the first time in 11 years and only the fourth time since Laettner hit the legendary buzzer-beater in the 1992 NCAA regional final.
For Kentucky, freshmen Noel, Poythress and Goodwin finished with 16, 20 and 16 points respectively.
Kentucky’s version of an experienced player was Julius Mays, a graduate student transfer from Wright State playing his first season for the Wildcats. He came up big, with two free throws and a 3-pointer to help Kentucky claw back from 12 points down to cut it to 64-61 with 3:29 left.
Duke, which had missed 3-pointers on four straight trips down the floor, put the ball in Curry’s hands and watched him take over on drives to the basket.
“He’s been hurt so he hasn’t practiced very much, but one thing he’s added to his game is he’s not just a shooter, he’s a scorer,” Krzyzewski said. “He’s got little herky-jerky moves where he keeps in good balance and he’s got a way of making a guy commit.”
Even after Plumlee picked up his fourth foul 20 feet from the basket with 16:05 remaining, Duke kept coming. The Blue Devils went from up six, 43-37, to twice that, up 54-42 without him. Curry scored four points on a 9-1 run and Duke freshman Rasheed Sulaimon made two 3-pointers to help Duke establish control.
The Wildcats’ last trip to the Georgia Dome netted them wins over Indiana and Baylor in regional play on their way to the 2012 national championship. They were all but in cruise control by then. These Wildcats still have a little figuring to do.
Kentucky had shooting guard Goodwin at the point, with sophomore Ryan Harrow of Marietta home sick, and four newcomers in their starting lineup. The closest thing to having any of their national championship stars in the building was Anthony Davis on the video board, kissing last year’s national championship trophy.
Playing the role of Davis and his uni-brown was 6-foot-10 Noel and his “fear the flat top” 80s-style haircut. This year’s version of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and the inside-outside post complement is Poythress. He and Noel had seven dunks between them.
“This was a big game for these guys,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said. “They were in Vegas playing AAU ball four months ago.”
Noel and Poythress combined for 18 points in the first half to the 19 Duke got from fowards Plumlee and Ryan Kelly. Duke led 33-31 at the break after forcing nine turnovers, including four by drawing charges.
Calipari quipped to ESPN sideline reporter Andy Katz at the half: “They're flopping all over the place; in the NBA, they'd all be suspended.”
But he had a smile on his face at the time, and when asked about it again after the game said he was joking.
Apparently he wasn’t kidding in the locker room when he got on his team about adjusting to it. Kentucky committed only four turnovers in the second half, giving them 13 for the game – which he couldn’t complain about.
“It was a good game,” Calipari said. “I can’t stand losing but it was a good game.”
