No. 9 Duke Holds Off Clemson, 71-69

DURHAM, N.C. – Freshman Paolo Banchero scored 19 points, including four in the final two minutes, to help No. 9 Duke pull away from Clemson for a 71-69 win Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Each of Banchero’s late buckets extended the Blue Devils’ lead to four, and Duke (16-3, 6-2 ACC) held on defensively in a back-and-forth affair that featured 17 lead changes. Senior Joey Baker gave the Blue Devils a two-point advantage on a driving layup with 2:15 left and finished the night with 11 points.

PJ Hall paced the Tigers (11-9, 3-6 ACC) with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Hunter Tyson added 13 points and eight boards. After falling behind 60-53 with 9:25 remaining, Clemson responded with an 8-0 run to reclaim the lead. Duke sophomore Jeremy Roach answered by hitting a much-needed three from the corner to put Duke back on top. Roach dished out a game-high nine assists to go with his eight points and four rebounds.

Sophomore Mark Williams recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds while also blocking three shots. Junior Wendell Moore Jr., played the full 40 minutes and chipped in 13 points with three three-pointers.

Clemson shot .423 (11-of-26) from three-point range, with seven players knocking down a shot behind the arc. Duke, meanwhile, distributed the ball well offensively, registering 18 assists on 25 made field goals. The Blue Devils also converted 11-of-13 free throw attempts, led by Williams who went 4-of-5 from the charity stripe.

Duke begins a three-game road swing when it travels to Louisville for a Saturday matinee. The game tips at 12 p.m. on ESPN.