Duke Holds Off Determined Georgia Tech for Record 18th ACC Title

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Normalcy returned to the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Sunday. Duke, ho-hum, won another title.

The top-seeded Blue Devils rode an early double-digit lead and held on to beat determined seventh-seeded Georgia Tech 65-61 at the Greensboro Coliseum for their record-setting 18th tournament championship and ninth in the past 12 years.

The Yellow Jackets, playing their fourth game in four days and showing signs of fatigue, were looking to capture their first title since 2005. They were also looking to become the lowest seed to accomplish the feat -- no team seeded lower than sixth has ever won the ACC tournament.

The Yellow Jackets were only the fourth team seeded lower than sixth to reach the finals in 57 years. No team had ever won four games in four days to capture the title either. They overcame a lethargic start, falling behind by 12 points, and magically rallied from a 10-point deficit with 3:37 left to make the Blue Devils earn their ring.

While Duke's offense never looked sharp during its three tourney victories, it again won with defense -- and mixed in a dramatic trey to finally shake Tech.

Duke's (29-5) victory, while far from overwhelming, surely helped the fourth-ranked Blue Devils secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. It also ended a wild, unpredictable ACC tourney that saw higher seeds go one-and-done, thanks for showing.

"I know a lot of people say the tournament maybe doesn't mean that much, but certainly it meant a lot to the two teams that were playing today," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "That was one of the best games we've played this year, and in the last couple of years."

Gritty Tech pulled within four points at 42-38 with just under 10 minutes remaining on Iman Shumpert's trey, but it never could generate a last push to overtake Duke. A Jon Scheyer trey returned the Blue Devils' advantage to double-digits at 52-41 with 6:57 remaining.

Much to the chagrin of the large Duke crowd, the Yellow Jackets wouldn't go quietly as the Blue Devils barely made a 10-point advantage stand in the final 3:27.

Tech battled within 60-59 on a Derrick Flavors dunk, but Scheyer, who had struggled from the outside and had made just one three-pointer, drained a trey from the wing to make it 63-59 with 18 seconds left.

"I hadn't hit many so I felt like I was due for one," Scheyer said. It was a great screen by Brian (Zoubek), I got a good look and had confidence in it."

The cushion proved to be enough.

Not surprisingly, the Blue Devils leaned on their high-scoring perimeter players -- Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler and Scheyer -- to offset the Yellow Jackets' enigmatic trio of NBA-caliber players -- Gani Lawal, Derrick Favors and Iman Shumpert.

Singler had a team-high 20 points, 14 from the free throw line, as the three combined to score 52. Favors had 22 points and 11 rebounds for Tech.

Still, Georgia Tech's appearance was a strong, season-changing statement, considering on Thursday it probably stood 20 minutes from elimination from this tourney and probably exclusion from the NCAA field.

Five days ago, the Yellow Jackets (22-12) departed for the ACC Tourney hours after their athletics director released a six-sentence statement regarding the basketball program without mentioning the head coach by name.

Go ahead Paul Hewitt, take a breath. Tournament victories over North Carolina, Maryland and N.C State strengthened Tech's resume.

Duke, meanwhile, is 32-4 in the ACC Tournament since 1988, reaching the finals 11 times in 13 tries, including this season.

"This is really exciting," Scheyer said.

"I could do this 100 times. This could never get old. This was a big goal of ours, but there's a lot more we want to do. We're going to enjoy it tonight, but once we find out who we're playing and where we're going, that's where our minds are going to be."

Duke and Georgia Tech split a pair of games during the regular season.

GAME BALL GOES TO:

Duke's Kyle Singler.

Singler,named the tourney's MVP, was money -- especially from the free throw line. He went 14 of 16, converting all 13 of his attempts in the second half.

HEART GOES OUT TO:

Tech's Derrick Favors.

Favors emerged as a star in the ACC tournament, with double-doubles the first two days and a team-high 17 points and eight rebounds Saturday in a semifinal victory over N.C. State.

The freshman returned to his double-double ways against the Blue Devils with 22 points and 11 boards in a team-high 36 minutes.

KEY ELEMENT:

The difference was on the free-throw line, where Duke made 24 of 28. Tech made half as many in just 16 attempts.

Give the Yellow Jackets a high-five.

They overcame a sluggish start and played with spunk, relying on their incredible athleticism.Tech held Duke to 35.3 percent shooting from the field (18 of 51). The Blue Devils "Big Three" -- Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer were a combined 14 of 41.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS:

First team: (MVP) Kyle Singler, Duke; Nolan Smith, Duke, Jon Scheyer, Duke; Derrick Flowers, Georgia Tech; Durand Scott, Miami. Second team: Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech, Tracy Smith, North Carolina State; Reggie Johnson, Miami; Iman Shumpert, Georgia Tech, Scott Wood, North Carolina State.

WHERE TO FROM HERE:

Both teams are going NCAA tourney dancing.

SOUNDBITE:

"It says a lot about what these guys are capable of doing. It says a lot of them being really focused, especially over these last few days. At the end, their kid (Scheyer) stepped up and made an unbelievable shot." -- Tech coach Paul Hewitt.