Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 12, 1994 TAG: 9403120140
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LARRY KEECH LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
But not for Duke, this year's top seed.
Having survived a pitched battle in the paint against Clemson in Friday's quarterfinal, the Blue Devils face Virginia's rugged defenders in a semifinal at 1:30 p.m. today.
Duke's final margin in Cliff Ellis' last ACC game as Clemson's coach was 77-64, but it was a good deal closer than that before the Blue Devils spent the last 93 seconds working on their free throws.
Despite Clemson's eighth-place ACC finish and 16-15 record, the Tigers have been exceedingly difficult for Duke to beat. The Devils survived two regular-season meetings by scores of 71-65 at Clemson and 78-74 in Durham.
"Clemson is physical and hard for us to play," said Mike Krzyzewski, Duke's coach.
The Blue Devils seem to bring out the best in a Clemson attack that features Devin Gray, a forward who prowls the baseline like a shark, and 6-foot-11, 260-pound center Sharone Wright.
The two have given Duke fits, and Friday's game was no exception. Though the Devils' Grant Hill and Cherokee Parks lost their statistical duel against Gray and Wright, they won the war of attrition.
Gray and Wright combined for 35 points and 23 rebounds Friday, but they made only 12 of 31 field-goal attempts and were the primary victims of a school-record 10 blocks by Parks.
Hill and Parks mustered 31 points and 17 rebounds between them, and Hill added six assists and five steals. Hill and Parks also made the three baskets that enabled Duke to withstand a final charge by Gray and Wright.
More than four minutes remained when Gray and Wright cut the deficit to four, at 62-58. Then Hill unexpectedly launched a 3-point shot that found the mark to push the lead back to seven.
"Gray and their defense were playing me to drive or make a pass to the post, and they had caused a couple of turnovers," Hill said. "So when I got the open 3-pointer, I took it just to keep them honest. Fortunately, it went in."
When it was over, the Blue Devils had held Clemson to 35.9 percent field-goal shooting.
"They took us out of our offensive rhythm," Krzyzewski said of the Tigers. "And if we hadn't played good defense, we wouldn't have won."
Thus, Duke will carry a 23-4 record into today's game against Virginia (16-11), which compensates for shooting deficiencies with a grudging defense of its own.
by CNB