Duke upsets No. 7 Virginia 66-65 for 3rd straight ACC win
AP
Feb 21, 2021
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) Freshman Jaemyn Brakefield scored the go-ahead basket on a reverse layup with 1:58 left and Duke Blue Devils came up with a final-possession stop and upset No. 7 Virginia Cavaliers 66-65 on Saturday night.
Matthew Hurt scored 22 points to lead the Blue Devils (10-8, 8-6 Atlantic Coast Conference), who claimed a much-needed third straight win to improve their uncertain chances of making the NCAA Tournament.
''It seemed like everybody contributed to making a big play, big plays down (at) the end,'' Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said.
Brakefield's scoring drive, while drawing a foul on Jay Huff, finally got Duke a slim lead. Freshman DJ Steward had a chance to increase the margin, but missed the front end of a 1-and-1 free-throw opportunity with 9.6 seconds left.
Huff got the rebound and got the ball to Kihei Clark, who bobbled the dribble at the other end to lose time and had to force up an off-balance 3-point attempt over Hurt to beat the clock. The ball was well short, with Huff catching the airball and stuffing it in well past the final horn.
''The last play, I mean, they missed that free throw. It was broken and we were like, `If they miss it, attack. Get to the rim. We're in the bonus,''' Virginia coach Tony Bennett said.
''And I was hoping we could get into the lane and get one up and rebound or flip it to Sam (Hauser) or someone trailing. ... They just were skin-tight (defensively).''
Huff finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavaliers (15-5, 11-3), who followed a blowout loss at No. 16 Florida State with a second loss this week in yet another close matchup with the Blue Devils.
It was the fifth time in seven meetings between the teams that the game was decided by one or two points.
BIG PICTURE:
Virginia: The Cavaliers were coming off Monday's 81-60 loss to the Seminoles, marking their most lopsided ACC defeat in four years. They shot 60% in the first half, but just 41% after the break on Saturday, going the final 3:48 without a basket to finish with back-to-back losses for the first time this season.
Duke: The Blue Devils are at risk of missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1995. They had lost six of eight at one point, but followed with two straight road wins by big margins against instate foes North Carolina State and Wake Forest after an emphasis in practices on improving defense. They added another behind Hurt's third straight game of at least 22 points and a boost from Brakefield (11 points, five rebounds, four blocks).
''This was a big-time win for us and we needed this one badly,'' Hurt said.
UP NEXT
Virginia: The Cavaliers host North Carolina State on Wednesday.
Duke: The Blue Devils host Syracuse on Monday.
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1st Half
UVA
Cavaliers
36
DUKE
Blue Devils
39
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Jay Huff vs. Mark Williams (Blue Devils gains possession)
19:42
+3
Matthew Hurt makes three point jump shot (Wendell Moore Jr. assists)
0-3
19:11
Jay Huff misses two point jump shot
19:09
Matthew Hurt defensive rebound
18:49
+3
Jeremy Roach makes three point jump shot (Wendell Moore Jr. assists)
0-6
18:30
+2
Kihei Clark makes two point jump shot
2-6
18:02
Wendell Moore Jr. misses two point jump shot
18:00
Jay Huff defensive rebound
17:36
Jay Huff misses two point layup
17:34
Matthew Hurt defensive rebound
17:25
Jeremy Roach misses three point jump shot
17:23
Sam Hauser defensive rebound
17:04
+2
Jay Huff makes two point hook shot
4-6
16:31
DJ Steward misses three point jump shot
16:29
Sam Hauser defensive rebound
16:09
+2
Sam Hauser makes two point jump shot
6-6
15:49
Jeremy Roach offensive foul
15:49
Jeremy Roach turnover
15:49
TV timeout
15:31
+3
Sam Hauser makes three point jump shot (Jay Huff assists)
9-6
15:14
+2
Jeremy Roach makes two point jump shot (Wendell Moore Jr. assists)
9-8
15:00
+2
Trey Murphy III makes two point dunk (Sam Hauser assists)
11-8
14:42
+3
Matthew Hurt makes three point jump shot (Wendell Moore Jr. assists)
11-11
14:15
+2
Sam Hauser makes two point jump shot
13-11
14:01
Wendell Moore Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Reece Beekman steals)
13:54
+2
Trey Murphy III makes two point dunk (Reece Beekman assists)
15-11
13:41
+3
Matthew Hurt makes three point jump shot (Wendell Moore Jr. assists)
15-14
13:24
Reece Beekman offensive foul
13:24
Reece Beekman turnover
13:18
+2
Jordan Goldwire makes two point layup
15-16
12:48
+2
Jay Huff makes two point hook shot
17-16
12:24
Matthew Hurt misses three point jump shot
12:22
Kihei Clark defensive rebound
12:03
+2
Jay Huff makes two point jump shot
19-16
11:51
Jeremy Roach turnover (lost ball) (Kihei Clark steals)
11:45
Kihei Clark misses two point layup
11:43
Jaemyn Brakefield defensive rebound
11:35
Joey Baker turnover (lost ball) (Trey Murphy III steals)
11:19
Kihei Clark turnover (lost ball) (Jordan Goldwire steals)
11:13
+2
Jordan Goldwire makes two point layup
19-18
10:58
Jaemyn Brakefield blocks Kihei Clark's two point layup
10:56
Sam Hauser offensive rebound
10:42
+2
Casey Morsell makes two point layup
21-18
10:42
Joey Baker shooting foul (Casey Morsell draws the foul)
10:42
TV timeout
10:42
+1
Casey Morsell makes regular free throw 1 of 1
22-18
10:31
+2
Wendell Moore Jr. makes two point layup (Mark Williams assists)
22-20
10:08
Casey Morsell misses two point jump shot
10:06
Wendell Moore Jr. defensive rebound
9:51
DJ Steward misses two point jump shot
9:49
Sam Hauser defensive rebound
9:23
Reece Beekman turnover (bad pass) (Mark Williams steals)
9:00
Matthew Hurt offensive foul
9:00
Matthew Hurt turnover
8:32
+3
Kihei Clark makes three point jump shot (Reece Beekman assists)