Virginia’s upset of Duke on Monday night came on just their second successful three-point attempt with 1.1 seconds left in the game. Reese Beekman’s three-pointer assisted by Kihei Clark resulted in a 69-68 win against the ACC’s top-ranked team.
Beekman inbounded the ball and wasn’t immediately tracked afterward. Mark Williams defended the inbound but went to protect the paint. Paolo Banchero’s contest of Beekman’s shot was too late.
The Cavaliers finished the game with 52 points in the paint. Coach Mike Krzyzewski was forced to sporadically implement a 2-3 zone in the first half. Virginia didn’t attempt a three for the first 8 minutes of the first half. Jayden Gardner scored 17 points on 8-19 from the field and had 4 offensive rebounds. Gardner was the only Cavalier starter who made more than four field goals. Kadin Shedrick was a perfect 8-8 with 16 points.
Pacing and style of play belonged to the Cavaliers. Spreading the floor gave them second chances on the glass. Open driving lanes were also a product of offensive spacing. The Blue Devils also missed a few first-half layups. Banchero, A.J. Griffin, and Trevor Keels combined for 7-27 shooting. Banchero continued his trend of unwillingly attempting shots. His lone second-half attempt was a desperate three-pointer as time expired. Krzyzweski believed his team lacked the same willingness to compete that the Cavaliers displayed. “We were not worthy of winning most of the game,” said Krzyzewski. “They’re an outstanding program and they’re playing really well. Teams are hungry and we gotta be hungry after we’ve eaten. I thought they (Virginia) were hungrier and tougher than we were tonight.” Duke’s four defeats this season all occurred when they had a lead in the final two minutes of regulation.
