Stumble It!Duke 87 N.C. State 86
The Duke players waited for and greeted Coach K when he came into the locker room, and then screamed in elation while handing him the game ball from his 800th victory!
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- DeMarcus Nelson's two free throws with 1:01 remaining lifted Duke past North Carolina State 87-86 on Saturday and gave Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski his 800th career victory.
Nelson and Jon Scheyer both scored 19 points for the Blue Devils (25-3, 12-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who used a game-closing 14-5 run to take their first -- and only -- lead of the half and snap a two-game road losing streak.
Ben McCauley scored 19 points for N.C. State (15-14, 4-11), and his free throw with 1:11 remaining put the Wolfpack up 86-85. He fouled Nelson 10 seconds later, and the Duke captain knocked down both free throws.
McCauley turned it over on N.C. State's next possession with 40 seconds remaining, and Duke (No. 6 ESPN/USA Today, No. 7 AP) ran down the clock, with Scheyer missing a 3-pointer with 4 seconds left. Courtney Fells got the rebound and pushed the ball to McCauley, whose 3 from about 30 feet bounced off the glass as the buzzer sounded.
Greg Paulus scored 15 points and hit two 3s during Duke's frenetic comeback, sparking the burst by connecting from the top of the key with 3:52 remaining to make it 81-76.
Kyle Singler and Gerald Henderson had 12 points apiece for the Blue Devils, who gave Krzyzewski the milestone win in 1,064th game. He is 800-264 in his 33rd season.
This one might have been one of the most improbable, because N.C. State -- with coach Sidney Lowe sporting the same candy-apple red blazer that was the rage of last year's run to the ACC championship game -- put forth the most inspiring effort of an otherwise disappointing season.
The Wolfpack led for most of the way, building a 13-point lead when McCauley's jumper with 12:41 remaining made it 70-57.
800 Wins!
