Arizona State senior center Eric Boateng started to say that tonight's game is just like any other.
The Duke transfer was a reluctant center of attention as the Sun Devils and Blue Devils prepared to meet in an NIT Season Tip-Off semifinal game scheduled for 9 p.m. today at Madison Square Garden in New York.
It's an unavoidable topic, but Boateng doesn't want to talk about Duke in any way, shape or form.
During a phone interview following practice in New York on Monday, he politely declined to reflect on why he chose Duke out of high school, the 2005-06 season he spent there, and on why he left.
But Boateng stopped himself when he started to say this is just another game. Duke is still Duke, and playing the No. 7 Blue Devils (4-0) in New York on national television (ESPN2) isn't an everyday occurrence.
The winner will meet the Connecticut-LSU winner in Friday's final.
"It's a big game," Boateng said. "It's a chance to get to the final, and we're going to have to prepare well. Definitely, they're a well-coached team, so we're really going to have to prepare well for them."
Boateng's basketball odyssey began in his British home city of London. He played for the Brixton Topcats, a club that also counts former Duke forward Luol Deng among its alumni.
Like Deng, Boateng came to the United States to develop his basketball skills in an American private school. After three years at St. Andrews School, he signed with Duke and became the first McDonald's All-American in the state of Delaware.
He was part of a recruiting class considered by many to be the best in the nation along with forward Josh McRoberts and point guard Greg Paulus. Boateng lasted only one season at Duke, though, as a little-used reserve.
In 20 games, he totaled 50 minutes and 14 points. After the season, he followed another Triangle transfer of sorts out to Tempe, Ariz.
Former N.C. State coach Herb Sendek had left Raleigh to coach Arizona State, and at 6-foot-10 with some perimeter skills, Boateng seemed to fit Sendek's motion offense.
But even with the Sun Devils (4-0), Boateng didn't make an immediate impact. After sitting out one season in accordance with NCAA transfer rules, he averaged just 3.9 points per game as a sophomore and 1.8 points as a junior.
Stuck behind four-year starter Jeff Pendergraph in the lineup, Boateng said he didn't get discouraged.
"My whole thing was to keep on working no matter what and seize every opportunity to learn and get better," Boateng said. "That's pretty much been my mind-set."
Boateng finally entered the starting lineup this season. After four games, he ranks second on the team in scoring (11.5 ppg) and leads the undefeated Sun Devils in rebounding (8.0).
In a second-round NIT game last week, Boateng scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to spark a 52-49 defeat of Texas Christian that lifted Arizona State into the tournament semifinals.
"Eric's done well, although he's in his fifth year now," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "He plays for an outstanding coach, so he's going to [do well]. ... Herb's one of the best coaches in the country. I saw part of one game, when they beat TCU, and Eric had a great game."
Whatever thoughts Boateng has about Duke will remain private, though.
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The Blue Devils program capped a tumultuous start to the offseason with a recruiting coup and optimism about a strong returning lineup. Keep up with the latest sports stories with our free e-mail newsletters, delivered to your inbox!
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Duke
G 6-5 Jon Scheyer, 16.5 ppg, 5.3 apg
G 6-2 Nolan Smith, 22.0 ppg, 6.0 apg
F 6-8 Kyle Singler, 18.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg
F 6-8 Lance Thomas, 6.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg
C 6-10 Miles Plumlee, 11.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg
Arizona State
G 6-1 Derek Glasser, 10.5 ppg, 4.5 apg
G 6-2 Jamelle McMillan, 7.3 ppg, 3.5 apg
F 6-5 Trent Lockett, 11.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg
F 6-6 Rihards Kuksiks, 13.8 ppg, 4.3 apg
C 6-10 Eric Boateng, 11.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg
Observations
Duke guard Jon Scheyer's remarkable streak without a turnover just keeps growing.
Dating back to last season, he has played 149 turnover-free minutes. He has 21 assists this season and has become the first Blue Devil point guard ever to hand out 20 assists in a season before committing a turnover.
Watch for Duke to pressure on the perimeter against the Arizona State offense in an effort to prevent open 3-point shots at all costs.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski used that strategy to neutralize Herb Sendek's offense when he was at N.C. State, and it worked to the tune of a 21-3 record against the Wolfpack under Sendek.
