Duke vs. Syracuse score, takeaways: Blue Devils survive scare, rally to advance in ACC Tournament

The Blue Devils face the Orange in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament

On the heels of a home loss to North Carolina on Saturday to close the regular season, Duke narrowly avoided disaster on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. The No. 1 seed Blue Devils used a late surge to pull away from No. 9 seed Syracuse for an 88-79 victory. Syracuse, which was playing without leading scorer Buddy Boeheim, took a 79-78 lead at the 3:32 mark before fading in the end against a team that blew them out twice during the regular season.

Syracuse led 40-36 at halftime after closing the half on a 27-12 spurt, even without Boeheim, who was hit with a one-game suspension after punching Florida State's Wyatt Wilkes in Syracuse's game on Wednesday. Without Buddy, his brother Jimmy Boeheim helped carry Syracuse with 28 points. Joe Girard III added 23 for the Orange.

Wendell Moore Jr. led Duke with 26 as the Blue Devils advance to play the winner of this afternoon's game between No. 4 seed Miami and No. 13 seed Boston College in Friday's semifinals. If Duke hadn't rallied, it would have entered the NCAA Tournament on a two-game losing streak in coach Mike Krzyzewski's 42nd and final season as the program's coach. 

Instead, it will have at least one more game to fix the defensive issues that appeared in Saturday's loss to North Carolina and again against Syracuse.

[Mar 10, 2022 at 2:17 pm ET · David Cobb]

Duke survives

Jimmy Boeheim and Joe Girard went off and nearly carried Syracuse to a monumental upset. In the end, Duke's late surge helps the Blue Devils advance to the semifinals. They'll get at least one more game to get things right before the NCAA Tournament. Tough ending, potentially, to the Boeheim Bros run at 'Cuse.

[Mar 10, 2022 at 2:03 pm ET · David Cobb]

Getting real

Joe Girard and Jimmy Boeheim keep delivering the goods for Syracuse, which is within one at the 4:09 mark. Timeout here and then the u4 coming. 'Cuse will have plenty of rest and should have enough adrenaline to stay in it down the stretch. This is certainly March.

[Mar 10, 2022 at 1:58 pm ET · David Cobb]

Syracuse hanging in

Swider goes to the line for three FTs with Syracuse trailing by 5 at the 5:31 mark. Orange are getting good looks on every possession and hanging in. Duke's got some defensive issues to address entering the NCAA Tournament. This game and the UNC game have not been clinics in defense.

[Mar 10, 2022 at 1:51 pm ET · David Cobb]

Joe Girard

Syracuse needs something from him down the stretch if they are going to keep pace in the final 8 minutes. He's been quiet after a huge first half and is one of just three legit offensive threats, along with Swider and Jimmy Boeheim. Blue Devils have already attempted 31 from 3-point range against the zone and lead it 72-67 at the u8 timeout.

[Mar 10, 2022 at 1:46 pm ET · David Cobb]

Swider's 3

Jim Boeheim has correctly decided to play Cole Swider with four fouls. Your season is on the line, so nothing to lose here. You won't win with him on the bench, so if he fouls out...he fouls out and at least you tried. Swider responds by hitting a 3. But of course Duke is getting hot from 3 as well, much as it did in the two regular season meetings between these two that Duke won by 20 and 25.

[Mar 10, 2022 at 1:33 pm ET · David Cobb]

Four on Swider

Foul trouble for Syracuse as Duke draws within two. Swider is out with four fouls, which brings Ajak in for the first time. Feels like the dam is about to burst with 'Cuse facing serious depth and foul issues. Some fatigue showed on Duke's last transition bucket as the Orange didn't do a great job of getting back.

[Mar 10, 2022 at 1:28 pm ET · David Cobb]

Jimmy Boeheim gets buckets

The "other" brother is doing his part to make up for Buddy's absence. Jimmy Boeheim has 18 now, including 8 in the first five minutes of the second half as the Orange take a 55-49 lead on Duke at the u16 timeout. Joe Girard appeared to injure a foot (or toe?) a moment ago. Orange will need him to be OK if they are going to pull this off.