An Inside Job as Duke Wins

Maybe no team in the country can exploit a weakness better than No. 1 Duke.

Carlos Boozer scored a career-high 32 points and the Blue Devils warmed up for their Atlantic Coast Conference showdown this weekend at Maryland by blasting No. 24 North Carolina State, 108-71, Thursday night at Durham, N.C.

“We saw in the first game they had a hard time guarding down low,” point guard Jason Williams said. “And today when I was driving their big guys kept coming to me. That left Carlos open for a lot of easy baskets. When you have a guy in there that big you really can’t miss him.”

Boozer was 13 of 14 from the field as Duke (23-1, 11-1) moved one-half game ahead of the third-ranked Terrapins in the ACC. Both teams have one loss and no other team in the conference has fewer than four.

“I think we have the best perimeter in the country right now,” Boozer said.

“They can penetrate and dish and they did a great job of passing it to me. Our guards can break down teams with ease.”

All of Duke’s victories since its Jan. 6 loss to Florida State have been by double digits and the Blue Devils beat the Wolfpack (18-7, 7-5) for the 17th time in 18 games, including 12 in a row.

“Tonight we witnessed an awesome basketball team on all cylinders,” Wolfpack Coach Herb Sendek said.

N.C. State came in with the ACC’s best scoring defense at 64.1 points a game, but gave up a season-high point total and the most under Sendek in 185 games.

Duke shot 69% from the field in the second half and 63% for the game.

OTHER GAMES

Rutgers 65, Notre Dame 62--Ricky Shields scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and made two free throws with 18.8 seconds remaining for Rutgers in a Big East game at Piscataway, N.J.

Notre Dame’s Chris Thomas, who scored 32 points against Rutgers in a 17-point victory last week, was held without a field goal and missed a three-point attempt as time ran out. He finished with six points. Rutgers (16-8, 6-5) snapped a five-game winning streak by Notre Dame (17-7, 7-4).

Xavier 89, George Washington 75--Romain Sato scored a career-high 34 points, making six of 11 three-point attempts, for Xavier in an Atlantic 10 game at Cincinnati. Xavier (18-4, 10-1) got its 13th victory in 14 games and retained its lead in the conference over St. Joseph’s, which visits on Saturday. George Washington is 10-13, 3-9.

Fresno State 72, Texas El Paso 64--Melvin Ely scored 28 points to become Fresno State’s all-time leading scorer and the short-handed Bulldogs defeated the Miners in a Western Athletic Conference game at Fresno.

Ely’s career total of 1,764 points surpasses Wil Hooker, who compiled 1,739 from 1989-92.

Fresno State (16-10, 7-6) used six players after starting point guard Chris Sandy was suspended indefinitely before the game for receiving an improper benefit. Forward Nick Enzweiler scored a career-high 17 points for Texas El Paso (9-17, 3-11).

Butler 77, Wisconsin Green Bay 74--Rylan Hainje and Brandon Miller scored 20 points each to lead Butler (22-3, 10-3) to a victory against Wisconsin Green Bay (3-9, 6-17) in a Horizon League game at Green Bay. Green Bay guard DeVante Blanks had his half-court shot at the buzzer hit the back of the rim and miss.

Green Bay shot 62.5% from the field, including six of eight from three-point range. The team also made 18 of 20 free throws and outrebounded Butler, 23-19.