Duke wins after Krzyzewski tirade
The Blue Devils defeated Connecticut after head coach Mike Krzyzewski lashed out about excessive turnovers.
FRESHMAN POINT guard Tyus Jones scored 21 points, Justise Winslow hit two key baskets late in the game and No. 2 Duke responded to a tongue-lashing by coach Mike Krzyzewski to beat defending national champion Connecticut, 66-56, last night at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J.
Winslow and Jahlil Okafor - the other two members of the Blue Devils' trio of talented freshmen - added 12 points apiece. Ahead 30-25 at the break, Duke (10-10) got off to a slow start in the second half and UConn (4-4) tied it.
Amile Jefferson added 11 points and 13 rebounds for Duke in a game that had the feel and intensity of a NCAA Tournament contest.
Ryan Boatright had 22 points to lead the Huskies. Kentan Facey added 14 points and Daniel Hamilton had 10.
The Blue Devils led by five at the half despite turning the ball over 12 times, but it was obvious Coach K was not happy. After Duke missed the opening shot of the second half and Connecticut got an easy basket, Krzyzewski called a timeout and screamed at his team in very colorful language.
That didn't turn the tide right away. UConn tied the game at 30 and had a chance to take the lead but Boatright missed the second of two free throws.
It was all Duke after that. The Blue Devils went on a 15-2 spurt with Winslow putting in a rebound and Jones hitting a layup for the first four points.
In another Top 25 game *
At Virginia, Justin Anderson scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and the No. 6 Cavaliers (10-0) returned from an 11-day layoff for exams with a 70-54 victory against Cleveland State.
Trey Lewis scored 18 to lead the Vikings (5-6).
Noteworthy
* Louisville coach Rick Pitino announced that reserve sophomore forward Akoy Agau will transfer after this semester. The 6-8 Sudanese native has played in just three games after recovering from sports hernia surgery on July 29.
* Florida could be without guard Eli Carter for tomorrow's game against Wake Forest. The junior missed practice 2 days this week because of strep throat, leaving his status in question for the Orange Bowl Classic in Sunrise, Fla.
* Minnesota freshman forward Gaston Diedhiou has been admitted to the university and added to the roster. The 6-9, 240-pound Diedhiou, native of Dakar, Senegal, who was denied admission for the fall semester because of problems with an English proficiency exam, will be immediately eligible to play.
* Michigan State forward Branden Dawson has a fractured left wrist and will miss at least the next two games for the No. 18 Spartans. Dawson, who sustained the injury in a win over Eastern Michigan on Wednesday, will miss home games against Citadel and Texas Southern but should ready to return to play against visiting Maryland, ranked 14th, on Dec. 30.
* The Arizona Board of Regents has approved a contract extension for Arizona State basketball coach Herb Sendek, adding provisions to the original deal.
Arizona State agreed to a 3-year contract extension with Sendek after last season, when the Sun Devils reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009. The new deal was for 1 year, through June 2017, with a raise to $1.5 million.