Hot or cold, Scheyer is clutch for Duke

GREENSBORO -- Mike Krzyzewski compares Jon Scheyer to a clutch baseball hitter - the sort of free swinger who can be 0-for-4 but then deliver a late-inning double to drive across the winning run.

That analogy darn near went all the way to extra innings Friday for Krzyzewski, Scheyer and top-seeded Duke in the first quarterfinal game of the ACC basketball tournament.

For much of the afternoon against long-shot Virginia (15-16), the Duke guard was whiffing left, right and straightaway.

But having missed 12 of his first 14 field-goal attempts, Scheyer came to life right on cue, banking in a 10-footer, then a runner in the lane and finally dipsy-do drive that helped the Blue Devils (27-5) to get out of Greensboro Coliseum with a deceptively comfortable 57-46 win that inches them closer to a regional No. 1 seed in next week’s NCAA start. He finished with 15 points, five rebounds and three assists but did miss 12 of 17 shots.

“I made the mistake of letting my shooting play head games with me early in the game,” Scheyer said. “Finally, though, I just forgot about it and the will to win the game took over. That’s always the most important thing. You can’t lose track of it no matter how bad a day you’re having.”

That’s more or less become his modus operandi, too. Although unquestionably one of the best offensive players in the nation, Scheyer is a surprisingly errant shooter.

In the final two games of regular season, he went a combined 11-for-35 against Maryland and North Carolina. In late season, he was 5-for-16 against Tulsa, 4-for-19 against Virginia Tech, 3-for-15 against Miami.

What you end up with is a senior averaging about 19 points per game while shooting 41 percent for the season and for his career.

“He’s got a lot of confidence - a whole lot,” said Virginia’s Sammy Zeglinski, who drew the defensive assignment Friday. “You can contain him for a long time, then he starts hitting and takes off on you.”

But as the postseason plays out, Scheyer’s shooting will become more of an issue. While Duke obviously can win when he’s off, the Blue Devils also can be beaten under the same circumstances. In the five losses _ Wisconsin, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Maryland and N.C. State - he shot 50 percent (6-for-12) only at Maryland. In the two non-ACC losses, he went a combined 7-for-20.

Duke’s been down this same path before. And flourished.

The 1991 and ‘92 teams won back-to-back national championships with Bobby Hurley shooting roughly 43 percent each season. Jason Williams ran hot and cold a few times on the 2001 title team and Krzyzewski’s first real national contender in 1986 got all the way to the NCAA final game without being able to buy a bucket during most of March.

If Scheyer’s shooting is driving him, he’s doing a good job of keeping it in his locker. So is everyone else on the team.

“We haven’t shot well all season,” junior Nolan Smith said. “Defense has to be the key for us in any game.”

To a large degree, Duke’s offense operates on a two-person sack race theory, anyway. Scheyer can be off, but it’s no big deal if Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith are on. Those two combined for 33 points on 13-26 shooting against the Cavaliers. Some games Smith struggles, and Singler and Scheyer take over.

The concern will arise when Duke starts facing better teams in the NCAA. In the ACC this season, the Devils have been able to hide their warts with considerable ease. But dead ahead lie opponents that will more resemble Wisconsin and Georgetown than Carolina and Virginia.