Jon Scheyer has had a very long offseason to think about how small the difference is between winning and losing. Nightmares of losing a 14-point lead in the Final Four Houstonincluding the last minute from the depths of hell, will never completely go away.
It's worth wondering if these all-too-familiar thoughts began to reverberate on Tuesday, when No. 15 Florida erased a 15-point deficit to take a 66-64 lead with 35 ticks remaining Boogie Fland three for pull-ups. Ten seconds earlier, Pat Ngongba had taken one of the most ill-advised shots of all time. Duke It took the player all season to open the window for a bold return to Florida.
This time, Duke made those three big plays during the win that happened last April at the Alamodome. Jon Scheyer scored a ghost screen for Cameron Boozer find Isaiah Evans for a good three. Caleb Fosteras the veteran warrior he becomes turned it on to make Boogie Fland roll over, and Malik Brown deflected Duke's pass and sealed the victory after the siren.
No. 4 Duke 67, No. 15 Florida 66.
Laying winning plays. Games like Tuesday's can be a daily investment for a young team like the Blue Devils to learn what it takes (and what to avoid) to beat desperate teams like Florida.
Duke not only improved to 9-0, but also found a closer decision. Duke's late-game offense was a source of frustration several times last year, but Boozer showed toughness and intelligence that became a valuable asset in crunch time. His goal-trey with 2:10 remaining was huge. As did his strong left handle and finish over Florida. Ruben Chinyeluwho is aptly called the mountain man.
Boozer had 29 points, six rebounds and two more dimes. He entered the night averaging over 33 points per night. He scored 29 points and dished out six more assists for a mind-blowing 35 points. This is one of the highest marks in the entire sport.
Scheier also showed how far he has come. In this game, Duke scored a monster 18 points after a timeout. This is in line with most any game from Scheier's era. Not only does Duke have one of the most talented rosters in the sport, but it also has one sharp offensive coordinator in Scheier.
Let's hope the ice packs and ice baths in Durham are up to par because the Blue Devils will need them to recover from Tuesday's scrimmage before Saturday's showdown with ultra-physical No. 8 Michigan State.
They will head to East Lansing with a sterling record and a definite closer in their bullpen. Oh, what a wonderful feeling that must be.
