Duke wins ACC showdown vs. No. 2 Virginia

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Playing a third road game in six days, fourth-ranked Duke was in danger of dropping its second straight to a top-eight team.

Guard Malcolm Brogdon had just knocked down a 3-pointer to give Virginia a six-point lead with 3:41 to play, and John Paul Jones arena was going nuts.

What followed was a Blue Devil-esque 14-2 run that propelled Duke to a 69-63 upset win over previously undefeated and second-ranked Virginia on Saturday.

“I thought our effort was outstanding,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “I thought theirs was too, and we just won a really tough game. I’m proud of my guys.”

Duke guard Quinn Cook knocked down two late 3-pointers, including one with 1:19 to play, to give the Blue Devils a 66-63 lead. Freshman guard Tyus Jones added a 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining, spoiling the Cavaliers’ pursuit of perfection.

“In a game like that, it does come down to making plays,” Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. “I thought a couple times we allowed them to get real rhythm shots, and the ones that bothered me were the ones where we were there to possibly contest. Credit to them: They stepped up and knocked them down.”

The Blue Devils (18-3, 5-3 ACC) finished 6 of 17 from beyond the arc after starting the game 1 of 10.

Jones led the Blue Devils with 17 points while fellow freshman Justice Winslow added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Cook also scored 15 points.

“Coach kept confidence in us, and as a player that is very helpful,” Cook said. “We believed in each other as teammates and stayed together.”

Duke shot 51 percent — the first team to shoot 50 percent against the Cavaliers this season.

Virginia (19-1, 7-1) used a 28-8 run that spanned the closing minutes of the first half and the opening minutes of the second to move ahead.

The Cavaliers led by as many as 11 points with 13:38 to play. They managed just two points in the final three minutes, however — a drought that proved to be their demise.

“I thought at the start of the second half they kind of wore us out,” Krzyzewski said. “We were ready in the first half, but at the start of the second half they just took over.”

Guard Malcolm Brogdon led Virginia with 17 points while guard Justin Anderson added 11 on just 4-of-11 shooting.

“I thought there was enough offense there to win that game,” Bennett said. “At the end, you have to come up with some tough stops. Those errors and breakdowns cost us.”

The Cavaliers shot 41 percent and were outrebounded by the Blue Devils 35-34.

Duke freshman center Jahlil Okafor was held to just 10 points but shot 5 of 7 and pulled down nine rebounds.

Duke used a bevy of fast-break points to jump out to a 20-13 lead with 7:36 to play in the first half. Half of the Blue Devils’ first 20 points came in transition, something that has been difficult to do against Virginia this season.

The Blue Devils took a 22-13 lead before Virginia used a 6-0 burst to get to within three with 4:40 to play.

The Cavaliers closed the half on a 12-4 run and Duke led 26-25 after 20 minutes.

NOTES: Duke has won 42 of its last 64 games when both teams are ranked in the Top 10. … This was a rematch of last year’s ACC Tournament final, in which Virginia won 72-63. … Virginia led the nation in points per game allowed (49.2). … Duke was ranked 11th nationally in scoring offense (81.2 points per game). … ESPN held its “College Game Day” pregame show from John Paul Jones Arena for the first time. … Virginia had won 21 consecutive games at home. … “Their crowd was great, what an amazing setting to celebrate their basketball program, which should be celebrated,” Krzyzewski said of Virginia’s atmosphere. … Virginia travels to play North Carolina on Monday night while Duke hosts Georgia Tech on Wednesday.