Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 14, 1993 TAG: 9302140144
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FRANK VEHORN LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: DURHAM, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
DEACS DUNK DUKE 98-86
RODNEY ROGERS, who grew up in the shadows of Duke, threw a homecoming party and scored a career-high 35 points as Wake Forest won at Cameron Indoor Stadium for the first time since 1985. \When Rodney Rogers finally celebrated a victory over North Carolina last month, he thought nothing else he did as a collegian would top that.
But the Wake Forest junior forward discovered a greater thrill Saturday, right in his backyard.
Rogers returned to his hometown to give the best performance of his college basketball career while leading the ninth-ranked Deacons to a runaway 98-86 victory over third-ranked Duke.
Rogers, 6 feet 7 and 235 pounds, scored a career-high 35 points as the Deacons (16-4 overall, 7-3 ACC) became the fourth ACC team this season to defeat the Blue Devils (19-4, 7-4) and the second to do it on their homecourt.
Still, Rogers said beating Duke just barely edged out helping the Deacons end their streak of 11 losses to North Carolina last month.
"I had so many friends who were always kidding me about not ever winning against Carolina, that when we did it, I thought nothing could be better than that," Rogers said.
The Deacons had beaten Duke the past two seasons, both times on their own court in Winston-Salem. They had not won in Cameron Indoor Stadium since 1985.
"This might overtake the Carolina win. I'm sure it does," Rogers said.
Rogers' mother, Estella, and a group of his friends managed to get tickets and stood for practically the entire game behind the Deacons' bench.
"That made it special," Rogers said. "But the big thing is we were able to come in here, step up our game and get back on the winning track."
The Deacons, who had a seven-game winning streak ended Wednesday night at Florida State, moved ahead of the Blue Devils in the ACC standings with Saturday's victory.
Duke's Grant Hill played only 16 minutes after injuring a toe during a rebound battle with Rogers midway through the first half.
The Deacons had their problems, too, playing without starting point guard Charlie Harrison, who banged up a knee in the Florida State loss.
They also had to survive the second half when Rogers and Randolph Childress, the ACC's leading scorer, collected their fourth fouls.
Rogers had the Blue Devils staggering when he got his fourth with 9:10 remaining and the Deacons leading 71-63. He went to the bench, and Duke scored five straight points - two free throws by Cherokee Parks and a 3-pointer by Bobby Hurley.
Duke fans screamed for a comeback, but a couple of unheralded Deacons took charge. Marc Blucas hit his third 3-pointer, and Trelonnie Owens followed with six straight points, the third after muscling down an offensive rebound and tossing it back through the hoop.
Rogers returned with 5:11 left, and the Deacons still had their eight-point lead intact. Blucas was only moments away from his fourth 3-pointer, too.
Childress, who stayed in the game without fouling out, had 15 points despite being aggressively defended by Hurley.
The Blue Devils, after closing to three points down with 8:44 remaining, scored six points over the next seven minutes as the Deacons romped into an 89-74 lead.
Wake Forest's 98 points were the most any team had scored against Duke in Cameron since North Carolina collected 105 on March 5, 1983.
Rogers often was spectacular with his slams and, with Hill out of the game, Duke had no chance of containing him.
Rogers scored 10 straight points in the final three minutes of the first half as the Deacons spurted from seven points down to trail 42-41 at halftime. His layup to open the second half put the Deacons out front to stay.
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski called Rogers' performance one of the best he had seen in Cameron in his 13 years as head coach.
Rogers said he visited Cameron a few times as a youth but never dreamed about playing basketball in the rustic building.
\ see microfilm for box score