GAME: No. 16 Alabama State (16-14) vs. No. 1 Duke (27-5).
REGIONAL: Atlanta, First Round.
TIME: Thursday, 7:10 p.m. EST.
SITE: RBC Center; Raleigh, N.C.
Duke is no stranger to the NCAA tournament. But for the first time in six seasons, the program will be entering it on the heels of a loss.
The top-seeded Blue Devils look to rebound from an upset loss in the ACC tournament championship as they face No. 16 Alabama State.
Duke lost 95-87 to Maryland in overtime on Sunday, failing in its quest for a sixth straight ACC tournament title. The Blue Devils led 74-62 with 4:58 left in the game, but allowed the Terrapins to close the second half with a 15-3 run.
The loss cost Duke the tournament's No. 1 overall seed, which went to Kentucky.
"You don't want to go into the tournament on a loss," guard Chris Duhon said. "The feeling we're feeling right now, if we feel this feeling again, our season's over."
Duke has lost four of its last 10 games, including a 76-68 loss to Georgia Tech on March 3 that snapped a 41-game home winning streak and consecutive defeats to North Carolina State and Wake Forest in February.
However, the Blue Devils have history on their side as they enter their 28th NCAA tournament.
Duke has won 76.2 percent of its tournament games, better than any other team. The Blue Devils' 77 tournament wins rank fourth in the nation, and they have appeared in nine Final Fours since 1986, more than any other school.
To make another run at the Final Four, Duke will need to be recovered from the injuries it suffered during the ACC tournament.
Duhon, who has not missed a game in his 139-game Duke career, bruised a rib during the ACC final, though coach Mike Krzyzewski said he expects the all-conference point guard to play.
Junior Daniel Ewing is nursing an injured tendon in his left hand that he suffered in Saturday's semifinal win over Georgia Tech, and freshman Luol Deng injured his left ankle Sunday.
"After a weekend of that level of basketball, people are going to get bumps and bruises," Krzyzewski said.
However, forward Shavlik Randolph said the injuries shouldn't be a problem.
"Chris, he's a warrior," he said. "I know he's going to play, and he's going to be there. With everyone else, it's just minor things we need to get taken care of now. I think by game time, everyone will be ready."
Duke is also hoping sophomore guard J.J. Redick, who ranks sixth in the ACC with 15.9 points per game, can regain his shooting touch. Redick, who went 87-for-216 (40.3 percent) from 3-point range this season, averaged just nine points during the league tournament.
The Hornets earned a berth in the field of 65 with Saturday's 63-58 win over Alabama A&M in the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament championship.
Alabama State, which entered the SWAC tournament with a losing record, is making just its second NCAA tournament appearance. The Hornets lost in the first round to Michigan State in 2001.
"Duke is the most storied basketball program at the collegiate level over the last 10 years," said coach Rob Spivery, whose team enters as 34-point underdogs. "There will be a lot of national attention on this game because it's Duke, and I'm sure some of that is going to fall on us.
"No one's going to give us a chance to win, but as long as we don't go in there in awe of Duke and go in there timid, I think we can compete."
Duke and Alabama State have never played one another.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Alabama State - F Jermaine Smith (5.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg), F Kevin Spicer (4.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg), G Ralfael Golden (12.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg), G Malcolm Campbell (12.7 ppg, 3.5 apg), G Alexander Oliver (5.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg). Duke - F Shelden Williams (12.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg), F Deng (14.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg), G Redick (15.9 ppg, 3 rpg), G Duhon (10.5 ppg, 6.2 apg), G Ewing (12.6 ppg, 43 steals).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Alabama State - Automatic bid, Southwestern Athletic Conference champion. Duke - At-large berth.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Alabama State - 0-1, 1 year. Duke - 77-24, 27 years.
