This is why I love college basketball season: it is filled with big games against big programs from big conferences. The Big East's Pittsburgh (ranked #9) met the ACC's Duke (#7) in New York's Madison Square Garden tonight ... with the winner continuing their undefeated start to the season.
It was a great basketball game. Duke was gangbusters in the first half ... running out to a 12-point halftime lead. However, Pitt came back with great defensive pressure (holding the Blue Devils to just 38% shooting) and clutch shooting:
DeMarcus Nelson had given the Blue Devils the lead at 63-62 with a twisting reverse layup and foul shot for a three-point play with 1:36 left in overtime. Pitt's DeJuan Blair, who had 20 rebounds, fouled out on the play. Kyle Singler's free throw a minute later made it 64-62.
But Fields, who led all scorers with 21 points, drained his three-pointer on Pitt's final possession, and the clock ran out on Duke, which had no time-outs left and got off only a long three at the buzzer.
Pitt moves to 11-0, but all isn't great for the Panthers. Swingman Mike Cook suffered a severe knee inury about :30 into overtime. No word yet about the severity of it, but Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon seemed to think it was pretty bad:
"This is the most bittersweet night in my coaching career," Dixon said. "I don't think it's good for Mike. We'll do what's best for him. "I told them at the timeout with 16 seconds left to win this one for Mike and then his best friend hits the winning shot after we come back the way we did. I am so proud of my kids."
Cook came out on crutches wearing a knee brace and was taken to a hospital after the game.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-21-2007 @ 10:07AM
George said...
I just want to say as a Pitt fan, I think it was COMPLETELY classless that the Duke fans were chanting for Duke while Mike Cook was down on the ground. You people should be ashamed for representing your university so poorly on national TV.
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12-24-2007 @ 4:38PM
triple t said...
HEY GEORGE, LOOK AT THE HEAD OF THE PACK OF RATS- OLD MIKE HIMSELF! HE TRIES TO ACT LIKE HE HAS CLASS BUT INSIDE HE IS A SEETHING, BOILING, BI-POLAR NUT WHO COULD NEVER BE HELPED BY ANGER MANAGEMENT. TOTALLY CLASSLESS AND THAT IS HOW HE HAS TRAINED THE CAMERON CRAZZIES AND HIS PLAYERS OVER THE YEARS. LOOK WHAT THEY DID TO ALL AMERICAN TYLER HANSBROUGH LAST YEAR. TYLER AND ROY WILLIAMS AND THE CAROLINA PROGRAM ARE EVERYTHING DUKE IS NOT AND WANTS TO BE. SEAN MAY CAME ALONG AND SHOWED DUKE HOW TO CAPTURE AMERICAS ATTENTION TO REAL TEAM PLAY, NOT THE DIRT CRAP THEY TEACH AT DUKE UNIVERSITY BY ONE MIKE THE RAT-WHO DEEP DOWN INSIDE COULD NEVER GET OVER THE PHILOSOPHY AND ATTITUDE THAT BOBBY "K" TAUGHT HIM WHICH IS "GIVE EVERYBODY HELL( THE FANS, THE OTHER COACH AND TEAM, THE OFFICIALS, ETC.) WELL MIKE OLD BOY, A NEW SHERIFF IS IN TOWN TO KICK YOUR ASS AS HARD AS THE DEAN DID, ONLY WORSE! WATCH THE HEELS TRAMPLE DUKE UNDER THEIR FEET AND ANOTHER TYLER IS COMING TO TOWN NEXT YEAR TO DO WHAT THIS TYLER IS DOING TO DUKE NOW. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE TYLER # 1 STICK AROUND TO PLAY WITH TYLER #2 AND THE REST OF THE HEELS COME BACK TOO!
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