KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- With three senior starters gone from last season, Duke's basketball players and coaches like to say they have a new team that's still figuring out how to play.
In the top-ranked Blue Devils' first real challenge, they learned that sophomore center Mason Plumlee is capable of carrying the team to an extent that wasn't possible a season ago.
Plumlee, who has been elevated to the starting lineup this season, scored 18 of his career-high 25 points in the second half Monday night as Duke defeated a tenacious Marquette team 82-77 in the semifinals of the CBE Classic.
Duke (4-0) advanced to tonight's tournament final (10 p.m., ESPN2), where the Blue Devils will face the winner of Monday's late game between No. 4 Kansas State and No. 22 Gonzaga.
Despite committing 19 turnovers and relinquishing a 14-point, first half lead, Duke advanced because Plumlee scored 14 points in the final 11 minutes in his best game as a Blue Devil.
"We kind of looked at coming here as our first real test," Plumlee said. "And I know personally, I did, too."
After leading 23-9 nine minutes into the game, Duke committed numerous giveaways to help Marquette (4-1) trim the deficit. At times, it appeared that Duke missed guard Jon Scheyer and his ability to protect the ball.
Guards Kyrie Irving and Nolan Smith can do creative things with the ball and run the floor in ways Scheyer never could. But Scheyer averaged just 1.6 turnovers per game as a senior last season and rarely made a mental mistake.
Smith said things probably came too easily for Duke in season opening wins over Princeton, Miami (Ohio) and Colgate, and he developed bad habits. Because of some careless passes against Marquette, he committed six turnovers. Irving turned it over five times.
"No offense to the teams we played [earlier], but we're not playing them anymore," said Smith, who scored 18 points. "These are big-time games, and me for one, I should know that."
Jimmy Butler, who scored 22 points, helped Marquette come back. Darius Johnson-Odom, a junior guard from Raleigh's Wakefield High, tied the score at 53-53 with 11 minutes, 21 seconds remaining with an acrobatic three-point play.
The score was 57-57 when Plumlee rebounded an Irving miss and passed back out to the top of the key for Smith, who rattled in a 3-pointer. Dawkins stole the ball near halfcourt and sailed in for a reverse layup and a five-point lead, sending Marquette scrambling for a timeout, trailing 62-57.
Plumlee didn't let up, finishing with 25 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and five blocked shots.
"Mason obviously was outstanding," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "We got him the ball and he made great moves down there. Just simple, great moves."
In the season-opener, Krzyzewski started Mason Plumlee away from the basket at the power forward position, with his brother Miles at center.
But in the past three games, Krzyzewski has moved Mason Plumlee to the low post at the start, with Ryan Kelly playing power forward.
It looks like Mason Plumlee has adjusted well.
And the Blue Devils are learning that they have a center they can count on for scoring in big games.
"He can really play," Smith said. "We see it in practice every day. I think all of us were waiting for him to do it in a game, just be aggressive and use his gifts. And he did tonight."
Duke 82, Marquette 77
MARQUT | Min | FG-A | FT-A | OR-R | A | F | PT |
Butler | 38 | 9-19 | 4-6 | 1-6 | 1 | 3 | 22 |
Otule | 11 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 3-3 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
Jhnsn-Odm | 36 | 4-15 | 4-5 | 0-6 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
Blue | 25 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 0-4 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Buycks | 23 | 2-6 | 0-2 | 3-5 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Cadougan | 22 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 7 | 2 | 5 |
Crowder | 30 | 6-11 | 2-2 | 0-3 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
Gardner | 15 | 4-7 | 1-2 | 4-4 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
Totals | 200 | 31-70 | 11-17 | 13-36 | 13 | 16 | 77 |
Percentages: FG .443, FT .647. 3-point goals: 4-20, .200 (Cadougan 1-2, Blue 1-3, Crowder 1-4, Johnson-Odom 1-6, Butler 0-2, Buycks 0-3). Team rebounds: 3. Blocked shots: 1 (Otule). Turnovers: 14 (Buycks 3, Otule 2, Butler 2, Gardner 2, Johnson-Odom 2, Crowder, Blue, Cadougan). Steals: 11 (Crowder 4, Blue 2, Butler 2, Gardner, Cadougan, Johnson-Odom). Technical fouls: none.
DUKE | Min | FG-A | FT-A | OR-R | A | F | PT |
MaPlumlee | 32 | 12-16 | 1-4 | 6-12 | 3 | 2 | 25 |
Singler | 38 | 5-13 | 2-2 | 1-6 | 0 | 2 | 14 |
Kelly | 12 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Irving | 34 | 4-9 | 2-3 | 1-2 | 7 | 3 | 11 |
Smith | 35 | 8-12 | 1-2 | 1-9 | 3 | 2 | 18 |
Thornton | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Dawkins | 21 | 3-6 | 0-0 | 0-4 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
MiPlumlee | 10 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Curry | 18 | 1-4 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Totals | 200 | 35-64 | 6-12 | 10-39 | 20 | 14 | 82 |
Percentages: FG .547, FT .500. 3-point goals: 6-18, .333 (Singler 2-7, Curry 1-1, Smith 1-2, Dawkins 1-3, Irving 1-4, Kelly 0-1). Team rebounds: 3. Blocked shots: 10 (Ma. Plumlee 5, Kelly 2, Irving, Dawkins, Singler). Turnovers: 19 (Smith 6, Irving 5, Mi. Plumlee 3, Ma. Plumlee 3, Singler 2). Steals: 4 (Irving 2, Singler, Dawkins). Technical fouls: none.
Marquette | 31 | 46 | - | 77 |
Duke | 40 | 42 | - | 82 |
Att.-NA. Officials-Roger Ayers, Brian Dorsey, Raymond Styons.
