Hurricanes Lose 85-63 to No. 11 Duke

Jan. 14, 2007

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CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) – Freshman Jon Scheyer scored a season-high 25 points and Duke shot a season-best 68 percent in its first conference victory of the season, 85-63 over Miami on Sunday.

Duke missed only 13 of 41 shots, and Scheyer was especially efficient. He went 5-for-8 from the field, including 4-for-6 on 3-pointers, and made all 11 free-throw attempts.

The No. 11 Blue Devils (14-3, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) had been off to their worst start in the league since 1996. Miami (9-9, 2-2) lost for the fifth time in six games.

Greg Paulus scored 15 points, and DeMarcus Nelson 14 for the Blue Devils, who easily surpassed their season average of 72 points.

The Blue Devils shot 81 percent (17-for-21) in the first half, including 15-for-17 by their starters. They made their final eight shots of the half to lead 49-40.

A dunk by Lance Thomas capped a 10-1 run that put the Blue Devils up 68-45 with 12 minutes left.

“Duke played tremendous, tremendous basketball,” Hurricanes coach Frank Haith said. “They’ve got great talent, and they played to that level tonight.”

Jack McClinton, Miami’s leading scorer this season, was limited to five points and 22 minutes because of foul trouble. Sophomore Brian Asbury matched a career high with 19 points for the Hurricanes, and Anthony Harris had 14.

With the Hurricanes’ front court thinned by injuries, Duke had a 32-16 advantage in rebounds. David McClure had 11.

The Blue Devils scored three fast-break baskets early, then began hitting from outside. Paulus’ third 3-pointer put them up 30-19, and an alley-oop dunk by Josh McRoberts in transition made it 40-27.

The Hurricanes scrambled to score five points in the final 25 seconds to cut the margin at halftime to nine, but got no closer.

The Hurricanes, already without three regulars because of injuries, lost Harris late in the game to a pulled calf muscle.

“I haven’t been a part of this in my career before, where we have so many things happen to one team,” Haith said.