
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 25, 1991                   TAG: 9103250081
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: PONTIAC, MICH.                                LENGTH: Short

OFFENSE THE KEY FOR DUKE

It wasn't a key injury, foul trouble or Duke's defense that St. John's coach Lou Carnesecca talked about after his Redmen were eliminated in the Midwest Regional final.

It was Duke's precision offense that had Carnesecca most confounded after the Blue Devils advanced to their fifth Final Four in six years with a 78-61 victory Sunday at the Silverdome.

"The thing most people underestimate is their offense. That's what stood out," Carnesecca said. "They break you down, they spread you out, they isolate you and get you in trouble."

The Blue Devils bombed St. John's from outside - where Bobby Hurley hit four 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 20 points - and from inside, where Christian Laettner had 19.

Duke's half-court defense wasn't all bad either. With St. John's point guard Jason Buchanan sidelined for the last 12:06 of the first half with three fouls and center Robert Werdann out with a pulled calf muscle, the Blue Devils were able to easily advance to a rematch of last year's NCAA final, a 103-73 loss to UNLV.

"They play great position defense and great team defense," St. John's forward Billy Singleton said. "It always seems like more than one guy guards you and they gang-defend you."

The Blue Devils finished with an NCAA Regional final-record 17 steals - four each by Laettner and Hurley, the region's most valuable player. They also forced St. John's into 26 turnovers.

Keywords:
BASKETBALL

by CNB