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  Sunday, Jan. 16 4:00pm ET
Duke one victory from ACC history
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Whatever Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski told his Blue Devils at halftime Sunday, it worked.

"He wanted us to get down low and dirty," said Nate James after Duke (No. 7 ESPN/USA Today, No. 6 Associated Press) surged from a two-point halftime deficit to defeat Florida State 85-54 for its 26th straight regular season Atlantic Coast Conference victory. "I think we responded to his challenge."

Duke, which has not lost a regular season league game since Feb. 5, 1998, at North Carolina, outscored Florida State 53-20 in the second half for its 13 straight win this season.

"We concentrated a lot more in the second half," James said. "Coach really challenged us at halftime."

Freshmen Carlos Boozer had 21 points and Jason Williams 20 for the Blue Devils.

Duke (13-2, 4-0) needs a home victory Wednesday night against North Carolina State to match the ACC mark of 27 straight wins set by the Wolfpack between 1972-75.

Chris Carrawell added 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for Duke, and combined with Boozer and Williams to a 30-10 start to the second half that wiped out Florida State's 34-32 lead at the break.

"We didn't stand up to their runs," Florida State coach Steve Robinson said. "We couldn't regroup."

"The freshmen carried us in the first half," said Carrawell, who had just one basket at halftime. "If we were going to win this game, we knew we would have to step up. We did in the second half."

Williams scored eight points, including two 3-point baskets, in the first 4:30 of the second half as Duke jumped into a 49-39 lead.

Boozer hit 10 of 15 shots and Williams connected on eight of 14 as the Blue Devils shot 54.5 percent in winning their 13th straight game. Duke had a 33-28 rebound advantage, and forced 21 Florida State turnovers.

"I was just knocking the ball in," Boozer said.

The Seminoles (7-7, 2-1) scored only 12 points in the first 15 minutes of the second half, shooting just 29.2 percent after the break.

"The focus and resolve on defense was the difference," said Duke's Shane Battier. "We played well in spurts in the first half but everything was flowing for them. We wanted to take that away."

Florida State closed the first half with a 17-8 spurt, taking a 34-32 lead on Delvon Arrington's driving scoop shot with 26.5 seconds left.

Oliver Simmons and Damous Anderson led Florida State with 15 and 14 points, respectively. Ron Hale, the ACC's leading scorer in conference games, was held to two points and one rebound.

"For us to win we had to shut him down," Carrawell said. "He can't score without the ball."

 


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