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  Tuesday, Dec. 5 7:00pm ET
Duke 102, Davidson 60
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) _ Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski reminded his top-ranked team that lofty goals usually require lofty efforts.

Jason Williams had 25 points and Nate James added 20 in a 102-60 victory over Davidson on Tuesday night, but the No. 1 Blue Devils matched a season-low shooting percentage and were outhustled in the first half.

"We have to come with extra energy. If you want to be in the place that we are, it requires more," Krzyzewski said following his team's 42-point victory "It just requires more. That's what we're trying to get our team to do. Our kids are working hard, but we're like any team and we're trying to develop.

"We've got to be careful thinking teams that come in with a losing record that we're supposed to be better than are going to lay down and die. They're not," he added. "It's an opportunity for them."

The Blue Devils (8-0) hit the century mark for the fifth time in the last nine games against the Wildcats. But Duke is a tired basketball team _ both mentally and physically _ and it showed for most of the night.

Davidson (3-5) stayed close for 12 minutes, but didn't help its cause with 33 turnovers and 28 fouls in its 14th straight loss to the Blue Devils.

Emeka Erege was the only Davidson player in double figures, scoring 10 points.

"I hope you (Duke) people realize what greatness you have in this program," Davidson coach Bob McKillop said.

Among those suffering through an off night for Duke was preseason All-America forward Shane Battier, who was 0-for-8 from the field in the first half and finished 3-for-13 for 8 points. He missed a dunk as did center Carlos Boozer. And Matt Christensen twice threw up an air ball from the foul line as Duke shot 35 percent in the opening half.

Duke's brutal early season schedule has included four wins en route to the Preseason NIT championship, two games with Temple and one with No. 9 Illinois. The Blue Devils play host to Michigan on Saturday night before a 10-day break for exams.

"This stretch is testing us in every which way," Williams said. "It's rough, but it's going to prepare us in the long run.

Williams, who was 9-for-12 from the field, hit three straight 3-pointers in a span of 2:11 to turn a 12-point game into a 60-37 Duke lead with 15:55 left. Battier also made his first basket in Duke's 13-2 run that broke the game open.

"They just kept leaving me open and it's a shot I take so many times a game," Williams said of his key 3-pointers. "Being here by myself it's something I work on. So, I have a confidence when it comes down to knocking it in. The thing about me is I can drive also."

The Blue Devils hit the century mark with 3:58 left and scored just once down the stretch as Krzyzewski emptied his bench even further.

Duke was coming off a 25-point victory at Temple on Saturday in which the Blue Devils shot 62 percent and made 17 of 30 3-pointers. But the nation's top-ranked team posted its worst shooting half of the season against a team that lost to Elon over the weekend.

Battier was 0-for-5 from beyond the arc as Duke was just 2-of-16 from long range in the first half.

Battier said Krzyzewski broke down the opening half in a way the team could understand.

"We said let's just tighten up our entire game," Battier said. "We want to play at a high level no matter who we're playing. He told us we play for Duke and we have a responsibility to each of our teammates to play at a high level, to demand it out of each other. He got his point across."

Davidson trailed by only four with eight minutes left before Duke closed the half with a 22-10 run for a 16-point lead.

Davidson couldn't control the driving ability of Williams, who had 14 points over the final 13:57 of the half.

 


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