Kyle Singler won over the crowd in his return to Oregon. Duke just won.The Medford, Ore., local scored a career-high 30 points in a showdown with his brother, E.J., as the Blue Devils routed the Ducks 98-71 in Portland, Ore.
"I'm very proud of Kyle," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. Today was a special day for him. He is truly one of the special kids I've had the opportunity to coach at any level. He has a warrior's spirit."
The final points came at the free throw line after he was fouled by his brother. Singler made both, then exited to an ovation with 5:30 remaining in the game.
By that point, the game was long, long over.
The Blue Devils jumped out to a 7-0 lead, led by 10 less than nine minutes in, and never allowed the Ducks within double digits afterward. Oregon drew within 40-29 early in the second half, but a 24-4 Duke run ended any hopes of a competitive game and, in the words of Oregon coach Dana Altman turned the game from "respectable to not respectable pretty quick."
"I'm very pleased with how we played," Krzyzewski said. "Oregon played their hearts out. ... We turned it over too much in the last ten minutes of the first half and the beginning of the second half, but our effort was good."
Nolan Smith added 18 points and seven assists, Kyrie Irving scored 16, and Andre Dawkins chipped in 14 off the bench.
Ten Blue Devils found their way onto the score sheet, though the team's defense was even better than its offense. Duke's tall frontcourt left few clear shooting opportunities for the Ducks, who shot 33 percent for the game.
Joevan Cotron scored 18 to lead Oregon. E.J., the younger Singler brother, had 14.
"Their size gave us problems," Altman said. "There were a lot of baskets at the goal that we never finished. We also missed some free throws; it was not a good offensive performance."
But the story was Singler, whose showdown with his brother overshadowed the challenge between the nation's best team and the rebuilding Ducks, Literally. A banner in downtown Portland depicted the backs of each of the Singler brothers.
Duke's Singler was warmly welcomed by the Rose Garden crowd, though that didn't keep from getting serenaded with an "airball" chant when he whiffed on a 3-pointer late in the second half.
The warm welcome might've extended to the referees on his final bucket, the blocking call against his brother.
"It was probably a 50-50 play," the senior Singler said. " I think the ref gave me the benefit of the doubt."
His 30-point effort earned him a lengthy ovation from the crowd, but the Blue Devil rout almost certainly didn't get the team a return invitation anytime soon.
What We Liked: Duke's assertiveness. The nation's top-ranked team didn't play like they were in for an easy win. The defensive intensity forced the Ducks into 33 percent shooting and sent the Blue Devils running in transition. Meanwhile, Dana Altman's team competed to the end, which is a good sign that the club buys into their first-year head coach.
What We Didn't Like: The Blue Devils committed too many turnovers, 19, though many were while trying to push the ball upcourt. Mason Plumlee's free-throw shooting continues to slump. He hit just 1-of-4 from the charity stripe Saturday and is now shooting 40 percent for the season. Moreover, he looks tense and tentative at the line.
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