Duke's balance, 3s down Carolina

ON COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Memo to North Carolina fans: Maybe if you stopped hating Greg Paulus so much, he'd stop playing so well.

Paulus, a former high school stud quarterback, has reveled in being at the center of things this season, and Wednesday night was no different. Duke's point guard lit up the Dean Smith Center for 18 points on 6-for-8 shooting from 3-point range. Thursday morning, sitting in a room full of UNC fans, everyone talked of how they absolutely can't stand Paulus.

But they could have used him on their team Wednesday. Most of Paulus' 3s were contested, but the 6-foot-1 guard has a quick release and was able to get his shot off over contesting defenders.

UNC didn't play terrible, it was just out-manned. Tyler Hansbrough could only do so much.

And that's why, at this point in the season, Duke is a slightly better team. The Blue Devils simply have more scoring options — and you never know who's going to pour in 20 on a particular night.

On Wednesday, it was everybody, as six Devils scored in double figures. Additionally, five Devils knocked down at least one 3-pointer.

How do you stop Duke's attack? You hope the Devils have a bad shooting night from behind the arc like they did in their lone loss to Pittsburgh. When Paulus made a 3 less than 20 seconds into the game, I got the feeling it was going to be a good shooting night for the Devils, which was bad news for the Tar Heels.

If you check out the box score, UNC made just two less field goals than Duke (30 to 28) and made three more free throws (19 to 16) — numbers that would equate to a one-point Duke win if the 3-point shot didn't exist.

The arc killed the Heels Wednesday night. While Duke made 13 of 29 long-range bombs, UNC managed to hit just three of 17.

I wasn't surprised. Not only do the Devils shoot the 3 well, they also defend it extremely well. In all eight of its ACC games, Duke has not allowed a team to make more than four 3s, and its opponents have shot a combined 28-of-101 (28 percent) from downtown.

Duke haters might call that luck, but the truth is that the Devils are willing to give up the occasional easy inside shot as long as they don't surrender the open 3. In college basketball, nothing swings momentum like a made 3-pointer — especially back-to-back 3s. Only once did the Heels have the momentum — when they ended the first half on an 8-0 run to pull within 42-39. But the momentum was gone in the second half, and Duke gradually built its lead en route to the 89-78 win.

While Hansbrough gave another workmanlike effort with 28 points and 18 rebounds, he didn't get the perimeter help he needed. Duke was all over UNC's top outside shooter, Wayne Ellington, forcing him into a miserable 3-for-14 shooting performance, including zero makes out of six 3-point attempts. Sixth man Danny Green was even more off, not scoring until he hit a late 3 and finishing 1-for-10 from the field.

Obviously, the Heels missed point guard Ty Lawson, whose ankle didn't feel great before the game, causing Roy Williams to tell him to sit out. The Heels weren't able to get out on the fast-break with Lawson sidelined, and Lawson has also improved his outside shot this season. Assuming a full recovery, Duke-Carolina Part II should be very intriguing come early March.

But what happened, happened. And I'm not even sure Lawson would have made a huge difference. The Devils' system is predicated on running, so I don't think UNC would have wanted to get into a track meet.

As it was, Duke thrived in the half-court because of its ability to shoot the 3. When Kyle Singler sets a pick out top for Paulus, it's almost impossible to guard. Here's why: If Singler's man doesn't hedge on Paulus, the point guard will quickly pull up for an open 3. If he does hedge, Singler is usually pops open for a 3 — and for a 6-8 guy, he can shoot it from outside.

Singler's and Paulus' 3s a minute apart late in the second half helped to keep Duke's lead at nine, and UNC didn't get much closer until the final minute when it was too late.

The good thing for the Heels is it's only early February. In retrospect, Wednesday's result won't matter come the big games in March. By then, Lawson will likely be healthy and the Heels will be an improved team on both ends of the floor.

The good thing for the Devils is they're on a roll right now and they're showing no signs of letting up. All season long, they've been doubted because of their lack of an inside presence. But will anyone remember that they were out-rebounded by 11 (49-38) Wednesday? Maybe Mike Krzyzewski and his staff in preparing them for future games, but nobody else.

The truth is that the Devils have the players to win a national title. Their leader, DeMarcus Nelson, had a poor game Wednesday, making a mere three of nine shots to score 13 points and playing just 23 foul-plagued minutes. If Hansbrough — easily UNC's most important player — had scored below his average or been in foul trouble, the Heels would have lost by a lot more than 11.

These teams are still very evenly matched, and there remains a chance Duke could stumble before the rematch March 8, giving UNC a chance to snare a share of the ACC title when the teams face off inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.

But for now, the national rankings have got it right: Duke is No. 2 and UNC is No. 3.

Paulus saves Blue Devils

ON COLLEGE BASKETBALL

It was beginning to look very, very familiar.

A 17-point lead was out the window. So was all momentum. To add to the fire, a raucous crowd was cheering against them, heckling them every time down the court.

Late in the second half of Duke's game at Florida State Wednesday night, the Blue Devils were getting bullied around. They couldn't hang onto the ball, they turned the ball over, and on the defensive end, the Seminoles were driving to the basket at will.

After FSU took its first lead since early in the game, it appeared the Blue Devils were headed for their second loss of the season — again, because of being out-muscled, out-toughed down the stretch.

But after precocious freshman Kyle Singler drained a 3-pointer for a 57-55 lead, Duke got tough, got nasty. When feisty point guard Greg Paulus came up with a big rebound in the final two minutes, a scramble ensued as FSU players piled on and Paulus kicked his feet outward. It wasn't a pretty sight, but it was what the Devils needed on the way to their 70-57 victory.

Until the end, Duke had played too finesse of a game. With Duke holding onto a 54-53 lead, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said, "These last four minutes, it’s going to be about which team is tougher."

Bilas was right. I was wrong. I thought FSU was the tougher team. I thought the Seminoles would pull off yet another comeback victory over the Devils. Everything was pointing in their direction.

But then something changed. That something was the play of Paulus.

First Paulus got a steal and a layup to give Duke a five-point lead. Then he iced the game a minute later, after running down the shot clock, by taking the ball strong and laying it up over a taller defender.

The junior point guard had played poorly the game's first 35 minutes. But when the Seminoles made their big push, he stepped up and toughed out a win.

Wednesday's game was Duke's first real road test of the season. In the ACC, it'll face several more. Just look at how difficult it was for No. 1 North Carolina to beat last-place Georgia Tech 83-82 on the same night.

The Devils will need to play stronger as the ACC slate progresses. Led by Paulus, who received a big hug from coach Mike Krzyzewski afterward, the Devils landed a meaty right hook Wednesday.

Finally, Duke looks vulnerable

ON BASKETBALL

Late in the first half Thursday night, the Duke Blue Devils were cruising again.

Freshman Taylor King swished one of his patented 3s, and Duke found itself up a seemingly insurmountable 16 points on No. 11 Pittsburgh.

But the thing was, Duke hadn't looked that impressive in building its 34-18 advantage. It hadn't gotten out in transition and scored in bunches. It hadn't shot the 3 that well, making just three triples. More than Duke being effective, Pitt had been ineffective.

In the final minute of the first half and the second half and overtime, the Panthers woke up. Duke still showed its grit, tying the game late in regulation on a 3 by freshman Kyle Singler, but in the end Pitt guard Levance Fields threw the final punch, stepping back to drain the game-winning 3 with six seconds remaining.

And No. 6 Duke (10-1) suffered its first loss, 65-64.

It happened because Duke's lack of size upfront finally hurt it. After both teams pulled down 19 first-half rebounds, the Panthers — led by haughty, 6-7 DeJuan Blair, who had 15 points and 20 rebounds — dominated the boards in the final 25 minutes, outrebounding the Devils 49-31 in the game.

Additionally, the Panthers continued to deny Duke any fast-break opportunities, making the Devils actually run their halfcourt offense. And Duke actually forced shots — something that never happened in its first 10 games.

After the game, former Dukie — and ESPN announcer — Jay Bilas, said it bluntly:

"This game was about toughness, and Pitt was the tougher team in the Garden."

No doubt about it.

The loss could be a blessing for the Devils, who don't play again until Jan. 6 against Cornell. It brings them down to earth, and Mike Krzyzewski will have a fun time working them hard — more than likely with physically-demanding drills — once they return from a short Christmas break.

But Pitt's dramatic win was a blueprint for how to slow down Duke:

Hit the boards hard, not allowing any second-chance opportunities — Duke had just seven offensive rebounds.

Don't leave 3-point shooters open — Duke made 4-of-19 from behind the arc.

And don't let the Devils run — I can't recall any fast-break points by Duke in the second half. Of course, Pitt's 16 second-chance points in the half helped to slow down the Devils.

Let's not forget, however, we wouldn't even be talking about a Duke loss if not for Fields' big shot.

Yes, Duke now has a loss. But it's difficult to render whether the "L" will hurt or help the Devils more as they head into ACC play.