Cavaliers lose their 1st game
Devils erase late 10-point deficit in ACC showdown
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Quinn Cook, Tyus Jones and No. 4 Duke got their biggest shots to start falling just in time.
Jones scored 17 points, Cook had 15 and both made critical 3-pointers in the closing minutes, fueling a game-ending 16-5 run that gave the Blue Devils a 69-63 victory against No. 2 Virginia, ending the Cavaliers’ 21-game home winning streak.
“We were getting the same looks. It was just a matter of the ball going in the basket,” Jones said.
Cook hit three times from long range in the final 4:38 and Jones hit the clincher with about 10 seconds left, capping a dramatic turnaround that had seen the Blue Devils miss their first nine 3-point tries, and 11 of their first 13.
Then, with Virginia leading by eight with 4:48 to play and its sellout crowd looking for the kill shot, Duke’s only hope was to start converting, and it did, making five of its last six. When Jones’ 3 fell, pushing the Blue Devils’ lead to six and the Cavaliers accepted their fate, it brought a positive end to what has been a wild week for Duke.
A week ago, coach Mike Krzyzewski earned his 1,000th career win against St. John’s in New York. The Blue Devils then lost Wednesday night at Notre Dame and dismissed junior guard Rasheed Sulaimon the next day.
Ending the week with a smile was important, Cook said.
“Big time. Big time,” Cook said. “They’re one of the best teams in the country, and if you can get a win against those guys, especially in their house, it’s just a great feeling.”
Duke (18-3, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) finished 28-for-55 (50.9 percent) and became the first team to shoot 50 percent vs. the Cavaliers this season.
Justise Winslow added 15 and Jahlil Okafor had 10 points and nine rebounds.
Virginia (19-1, 7-1) started the second half with a 16-4 burst and led by 11 with just under 11 minutes to play before Duke’s blistering shooting turned the tables.