Duke Teams Pick Up Big Wins, While Wolfpack Surprises

Sunday was a day to watch some racing and a lot of basketball. Yes, I did see the photo finish to the Daytona 500, but I will admit I watched more basketball. It is, after all, my first love.

I think Duke has decided they really don't like being unranked and they've finally gotten the message. Come out and play aggressively and good things will happen. The Blue Devils did that Wednesday in the win at Boston College which snapped the four-game losing streak and they did it Sunday in knocking Georgia Tech back on its heels early and stinging the Yellow Jackets by the 71-62 score.

Duke led by 15 at half and they got their lead by being the aggressor. The Devils would not allow the Jackets to get into their offense. There seemed to be a Devil in every passing lane.

"If it was a fight, they would have stopped it in the first half," Jackets coach Paul Hewitt said afterwards.

Duke never let Georgia Tech get comfortable. The Blue Devils forced 22 Tech turnovers and got 35 points off of those. Georgia Tech had to fight uphill the entire game and Duke wasn't about to let them get back in it. Plus, the Blue Devils won without a big game from Josh McRoberts who took just five shots and scored six points with four rebounds.

Duke got its scoring Sunday from the perimeter guys. Greg Paulus had 15, Jon Scheyer, 14, and DeMarcus Nelson with 13. It was the 700th Duke coaching win for Mike Krzyzewski (773 total) who said he wasn't aware of that until afterwards. But Coach K was very much aware that his team is getting back on track.

"I love my team," Krzyzyzewski said. "It's gotten better. It's far from a perfect team but they're better."

Coach K said it's up to the coaching staff to make sure they keep improving. Duke now goes to 20-7 for the season and 7-6 in the ACC and with three conference games left. And the milk has already been spilled, but it has to stick in the Blue Devils' craw that they're just five points away from being tied for first in the ACC.

Now, how about N.C. State's 81-56 thumping of Virginia Tech? Take a few nails out of the Pack's coffin. They are very much alive.

Figure this out. State has four conference wins. Two are against Virginia Tech and one against Carolina who happen to be two of the top teams in the conference. To be honest going into this one, the Wolfpack appeared to be a spent team. The players even talked about how tired they were.

"The focus was there today," a happy Sidney Lowe said. "It shows we still have something left in the tank."

I'll say. How about 67 percent shooting and 11 of 15 from behind the arch. Unreal. How could this have been the same team that was drubbed at Miami?

"I knew we were about to explode," said junior Gavin Grant who scored 15 points."I know I was ready to go play today."

State was ready while Virginia Tech was not. Confidence plays such a big part of anything that is successful and you could see the Wolfpack's confidence grow with almost every possession.

This was a huge game for Virginia Tech. They had everything to gain and they didn't show. Coming off the win at Carolina, a Hokie victory Sunday would have tied them for first in the ACC, but it must be something about the Hokie maroon that makes the Pack see red. For some reason, Tech didn't have it and it was very costly for them. They were the ones who were playing for a share of the league lead but they were the ones that for some reason came up with nothing in the gas tank. Maybe they were saving it for the trip back to Blacksburg, which I'm sure felt like it took forever.

Meanwhile, N.C. State let the league know that they still have something left. Now the question is, can they take that momentum with them to Chapel Hill on Wednesday?

Two in a row over the Heels might lead State students to a Bastille-like taking of Hillsborough Street.

Before a sold-out crowd of 17,950 in College Park, the Duke women's team picked for third in the pre season-wrapped up the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship Sunday night beating defending NCAA champion Maryland for a second time. The Devils' 69-57 win was their 28th straight this season and they're 13-0 in the league with the season finale this Sunday hosting Carolina.

"We love playing in big games. We love playing in big environments," said Duke coach Gail Goestenkors. "I can't say enough about my team and the way they handle themselves in that type of situation."

Maryland once again couldn't stop Lindsey Harding, who scored 28 against them back in January. Sunday night, she did one better with 29 points.

"I'll tell ya, if Lindsey Harding isn't player of the year, I'd like to know who is, Coach Brenda Frese of Maryland said. "She has stepped up big in every game against any opponent they've played."

Duke's suffocating defense anchored by Alison Bales held Maryland to a season-low 57 points and to just 33 percent shooting in the second half.

Duke remains the only unbeaten team in college basketball, men or women. Unbeaten at this stage of the season is more than impressive.

Hope everybody has a great week. Beware of germs. They can get you.