Duke pulls out of ACC tourney
GREENSBORO, N.C. » Duke arrived at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament hoping to make an unprecedented run to extend its long NCAA Tournament streak.
Instead, the Blue Devils abruptly had to pull out of the tournament and end its season due to a positive COVID-19 test and the resulting quarantining and contact tracing.
The ACC announced that the Blue Devils’ quarterfinal game against No. 15 Florida State for Thursday night has been canceled. And athletics director Kevin White said Duke’s season is over, ending the Blue Devils’ streak of 24 consecutive NCAA appearances that began in 1996.
In a statement, White said the positive test for someone within the program came after Wednesday’s win against Louisville, the Blue Devils’ second win in as many days in Greensboro. Before this, there had been no positive tests all season for a player or coach, he said.
“Since last March when the pandemic started, we have listened to our medical experts and always put safety at the forefront of any determinations regarding competition,” White said. “As a result, this will end our 2020-21 season. We wish every team still playing college basketball good health and the very best during the next few weeks.”
The Blue Devils (13-11, 9-9 ACC) failed to live up to their lofty standards, but coach Mike Krzyzewski said he loved this young team and was honored to coach it.
“We have not asked more of any team in our history, and they deserve enormous credit for handling everything like the outstanding young men they are,” Krzyzewski said in a statement. “I feel deeply for our players, who have done a terrific job all season in taking care of each other and the team.
“I am extremely proud of their collective attitudes and effort, which could not have been stronger.”
GEORGIA TECH 70, MIAMI 66 » Jordan Usher scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half, including a game-clinching dunk created off a sterling play by Jose Alvarado, and Georgia Tech(168) ended Miami’s (10-17) run in the ACC tournament.
Alvarado, the ACC defensive player of the year, and Michael Devoe finished with 13 points each with Devoe collecting seven assists. Alvarado sat out the final 3½ minutes of the first half after he banged knees with Miami’s Isaiah Wong and was helped off the court in obvious pain. He returned to start the second half.
Lameron McGusty finished with 25 points and seven rebounds for Miami. Nysier Brooks added 19 points, just three in the second half, and Wong, a Bonner-Prendergast All-Delco, had 12.
(20 BAYLOR 74, KANSAS STATE
68 » MaCio Teague scored 24 points, Davion Mitchell added
23 and Baylor (22-1) held on to beat Kansas State (9-20) and avoid what would have been one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Big 12 Tournament.
(9) OHIO STATE 79, MINNESOTA
75 » Duane Washington Jr. and Justice Sueing each scored 16 points and Ohio State (19-8) fended off Minnesota’s (14-15) late charge to win in the Big Ten Tournament.
(12) OKLAHOMA STATE 72, (10) WEST VIRGINIA 69 » Avery Johnson III hit the go-ahead bucket for Oklahoma State (19-7) with less than a minute to go, and Sean McNeil’s tying 3-pointer came a split-second after the final buzzer, allowing the Cowboys
to escape West Virginia
(19-8) in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals.
(16) VIRGINIA 72, SYRACUSE 69 » Reece Beekman hit a 3-pointer as time expired to help Virginia
(18-6) edge Syracuse (16-9) in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.
(19) SAN DIEGO STATE 69, WYOMING 66 » Terrell Gomez scored
20 points and San Diego State
(21-4) beat Wyoming (14-11) to advance to the Mountain West Conference Tournament semifinals.