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Showing no mercy Duke's blowouts increase as Coach K shortens bench
Updated: Thursday March 01, 2001 4:13 AM
By Jacob Luft, CNNSI.com Duke won't find much sympathy from anyone after losing Carlos Boozer to a foot injury. That's because the Blue Devils have spent the better part of four years dishing out humiliating blowouts. Duke has led the nation in margin of victory two of the past three years and is leading again this season. At the same time, head coach Mike Krzyzewski has used his bench less and less (see chart, left). On Jan. 13, Duke set a school record for the biggest rout of a top 10 team when it shredded Virginia 103-61.
The Blue Devils have pounded seven teams by 40 or more points, including Georgia Tech, which absorbed its worst beating in 29 seasons (98-54) on Feb. 21. Of Duke's 25 victories, 15 have been by at least 25 points and 11 by at least 30 points. Since the 1997-98 season started, the Blue Devils have posted 48 victories of 30-plus points compared to a total of 33 in the seven previous seasons (see chart, below). Duke's dominance in the ACC in particular has been impressive. Since the beginning of the 1998-99 season, Duke has a margin of victory of 19.6 while going 49-4 against the conference (including ACC tournament games). Opponents and critics have accused Krzyzewski of leaving his starters in during garbage time to run up the score. What do the statistics show? Despite all the blowouts, only six of his players average at least 10 minutes a game. Krzyzewski used a similar strategy last season, using only six players extensively, only to see his team falter 87-78 to a deep Florida squad in the Sweet 16.
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