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9:00 P.M.: Duke, Clemson Fight For Leg Up In ACC
Clemson, SC (Sports Network) - Nolan Smith finished with 22 points, as seventh-ranked Duke survived a tough ACC road test, beating No. 17 Clemson 60- 47 at Littlejohn Coliseum.
Lance Thomas added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Blue Devils (16-3, 4-2 ACC), who entered Saturday's contest with an 0-3 record in true road games. Duke was coming off Wednesday's setback at NC State, but rebounded to win for the third time in four games overall.
Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer scored 12 and 11 points, respectively.
The Blue Devils stifled the Tigers (15-5, 3-3), who shot 37.5 percent, and only shot that well because of Trevor Booker. He went 10-for-14 from the field and finished with 22 points, while the rest of his team made just eight shots.
Demontez Stitt had 10 points for Clemson, which has dropped two straight.
The entire first half was tight, and Smith’s three-pointer capped the scoring to send the teams into the break tied at 23-23.
Duke kept the defensive pressure on in the second half and started hitting more shots, opening the period with a dunk from Miles Plumlee and two baskets from Scheyer.
A few minutes later, the Blue Devils ran off eight consecutive points to build a double-digit lead. Smith sank three jumpers in the stretch, which made it a 43-30 game with under 13 minutes left.
Clemson scored the next seven to draw within 43-37 just past the midway point of the half. But the Tigers made just one basket over the next nearly six minutes, allowing the Blue Devils to restore their double-digit edge.
Duke went up 50-39 on Singler’s dunk with under six minutes to play, then sealed the victory at the free throw line.
Duke swept the regular season series, having also beaten Clemson at home on January 3...Aside from Booker, the Tigers shot 23.5 percent. Booker also pulled down six rebounds.
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