Capel ready, willing to step in

Duke coaches are now doing what they repeatedly have asked backup players to do this season: Step up when stars are absent.

With Mike Krzyzewski stepping away for a few weeks to have back surgery, the Blue Devils will be under the guidance of Jeff Capel.

The situation isn’t entirely unfamiliar to Capel, a former Duke guard and veteran college coach who had to fill in for one game a year ago when Krzyzewski became ill before a trip to Georgia Tech and led the Blue Devils to a win — though that victory, and the wins and losses during this leave of absence, will go on Krzyzewski’s record.

Capel will make his 2017 debut as the acting head coach Saturday when Boston College visits.

“We’ve dealt with a lot of adversity already this year, and throughout the season, guys have stepped up,” Capel said Thursday. “That’s what we have to do right now. Everyone has to step up.”

That’s been the theme for Duke (13-2, 1-1 ACC), which didn’t have three immediate-impact freshmen to start the season, but got them all back just in time to hand guard Grayson Allen an indefinite suspension — which turned out to be for one game — for tripping an opponent for the third time in 11 months. His return came in Krzyzewski’s last game before taking his leave.

Purdue escapes: Caleb Swanigan hit a free throw with 5 seconds left as No. 20 Purdue held off an Ohio State comeback for a 76-75 road win Thursday night.

Ohio State’s Trevor Thompson tied the score at 75-75 with a layup with 15 seconds left but missed a subsequent free throw. C.J. Jackson’s 3-point try at the buzzer was off the mark.

Swanigan and Vincent Edwards paced the Boilermakers (13-3, 2-1 Big Ten) with 16 points apiece.

Jae’Sean Tate scored 17 points for the Buckeyes (10-5, 0-2), who had fought back from a 10-point deficit. Another coach sidelined: Austin Peay coach Dave Loos is taking a leave of absence to continue chemotherapy for a cancerous lymph node. School officials say it’s unclear how long Loos will be away.