Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 21, 1991 TAG: 9102210186
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL BRILL EXECUTIVE SPORTS EDITOR
DATELINE: DURHAM, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
Duke dominated the Wolfpack on the court, but a combination of missed free throws and fouled-up fast breaks enabled the dangerous Wolfpack to hang around.
But finally a tap-in by Grant Hill and two baskets by Thomas Hill, each with the 45-second clock running out, enabled the seventh-ranked Blue Devils to win, 72-65.
It shouldn't have been close, considering ACC scoring leader Rodney Monroe was held to less than 20 points for the first time all year - he had 18, only four after halftime - and 17-point scorer Tom Gugliotta was in constant foul trouble and had one field goal.
But Duke, which led early by 13 and was outscored 10-1 at the end of the half, couldn't do the easy things.
Shooting 77.7 percent on free throws, the Blue Devils missed 14 of 25, including a pair of two-shot opportunities by Billy McCaffrey, who had missed only nine of 80 all year.
N.C. State's best offense turned out to fall back and let the Blue Devils mess up a three- or four-on-one fast break, which it did countless times.
Then N.C. State would get the rebound and an easy layup at the other end.
"Nothing came easy," said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. "We missed layups and free throws. Another team could have gotten down, but our guys played so hard against a tough team."
Duke had too much firepower, eventually, even as N.C. State closed to 55-54 when official Dick Paparo called goaltending on Christian Laettner on a 3-point attempt by Migjen Bakalli.
Seconds after that, official John Moreau stopped the game and security guards ushered out a spectator who was sitting near the N.C. State bench.
Sanity didn't return until Thomas Hill - he and non-related Grant Hill were 9-for-9 in the first half - scored from the lane with 1:30 to play to make it 69-62. A minute later, he did it again.
Thomas Hill finished with 17 points and Grant Hill had 15 as Duke ran its ACC record to 9-3, a half-game in front of North Carolina. The Blue Devils are 23-5 overall and 15-0 at home, tying a school record.
"We were in our 2-3 motion [spread] and called a set," said Krzyzewski. "I'd like to take credit for the play, but Thomas Hill made it happen."
Krzyzewski also praised point guard Bobby Hurley, who was coming off a dismal showing at Wake Forest. "In the first half, Bobby had nine assists, but he had 18 passes into the post with only one turnover," the coach said.
Officially, Hurley finished with nine points and 13 assists in a 40-minute standoff with Chris Corchiani, who had 13 points, four assists and a rare five turnovers.
Brian Davis took away Monroe's 3-point shooting, and after scoring 35 points as N.C. State beat Duke in Raleigh, the senior got just four perimeter shots and hit one. His only second-half basket was a layup.
"Duke played terrific team defense," said N.C. State coach Les Robinson. "We had some chances, but they took away what we wanted to do."
With N.C. State (15-8 overall) at 6-5 in the ACC, there is a two-team race for the league tournament bye between Duke and North Carolina.
N.C. ST. MPFGFTRAFPT Gugliotta 332- 41- 56345Feggins 348-141- 2100017Thompson 372- 60- 011034Corchiani 405-123- 334413Monroe 407-173- 434418Bakalli 162- 52- 22038Totals 20026-5810-1635111865 DUKE MPFGFTRAFPT Davis 324- 81- 24119G. Hill 266- 93- 750415Laettner 357-111- 372315Hurley 402- 53- 541329T. Hill 317-113- 413217McCaffrey 212- 60- 43215Palmer 50- 10- 00010Koubek 101- 30- 02002Totals 20029-5411-2526211472 N.C. State 39-26-65 Duke 41-31-72
Three-point goals-N.C. State 3-12 (Gugliotta 0-2, Corchiani 0-1, Monroe 1-4, Bakalli 2-5); Duke 3-11 (Davis 0-1, Laettner 0-1, Hurley 2-5, T. Hill 0-1, McCaffrey 1-2, Koubek 0-1). Turnovers-N.C. State 19, Duke 11. Technical fouls-None. Officials-Paparo, Moreau,Lembo. Attendance-9,314.
by CNB