ACC Has an Elite One

Michigan State kept its guard up, held Duke’s guards down and exorcised a few ghosts in Friday’s 78-68 regional semifinal victory at the Frank Erwin Center.

Fifth-seeded Michigan State (25-6) advanced to Sunday’s regional final by beating top-seeded Duke down and then savoring the moment during a timeout with 10 seconds remaining.

Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo had been 0 for 4 in his career against Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski and spoke before the game about reversing this trend and leaving footprints in the sand.

“We took another step forward,” Izzo said.

Michigan State avenged a late-November loss to Duke at Durham, N.C., by running waves of defenders at Blue Devil guards J.J. Redick and Daniel Ewing, who each scored 29 points in the first meeting.

Thursday, Michigan State held the Redick-Ewing tandem to 31 total points and a combined 11-for-30 shooting from the field.

Redick made only four of 14 shots and ended up 10 for 38 in three NCAA tournament games. Ewing made seven of 16 shots but only two of his seven three-point attempts. He scored 18 points and Redick had 13.

Michigan State’s depth and defensive pressure forced 22 turnovers and eventually wore Duke out, although nothing was settled until Shannon Brown made two free throws with 27 seconds left to put the Spartans up by eight points.

Duke led by six points three times in the first half, but Michigan State tied the score at 32-32 at the half and then slowly pulled away, extending the lead to nine points at 48-39 with 11:49 left after consecutive three-point baskets by Maurice Ager and Alan Anderson.

Duke (27-6) closed to within three points at the three-minute mark on Ewing’s three-point shot, but the game turned on the next possession when Michigan State center Paul Davis fouled opposing center Sheldon Williams out of the game with a pump-fake and basket.

Davis’ free throw to cap a three-point play put Michigan State back up by six while leaving Duke somewhat defenseless down low.

“That was a huge key,” said Davis, who finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

The strangest second-half play came when an apparent Williams dunk popped out of the basket and was ruled offensive basket interference by referee Mike Kitts.

“He pulled the rim down,” Kitts explained later.

The basket would have pulled Duke to within two points at 60-58.

Michigan State had four players in double figures, Anderson (17 points), Ager (14) and Brown (11) joining Davis.

Williams scored a team-high 19 points for Duke before fouling out.

“You either want the season to end in jubilation or crying,” Krzyzewski said. “There was a lot of crying in that locker room. Not just because we lost, but because it’s over.”