Scheyer feels right at home for Devils

Guard Jon Scheyer's 'homecoming' game is a happy one as his 20 points help Duke improve to 10-0 in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge

WEST LAFAYETTE, IND. -- Playing a mere 150 miles from his Northbrook, Ill., home, Duke guard Jon Scheyer showed Big Ten fans what they missed when he left the area to play college basketball.

Scheyer was on target from 3-point range, scored from the foul line and even played out of position at point guard when Nolan Smith got in foul trouble as No. 4-ranked Duke defeated ninth-ranked Purdue 76-60 in Tuesday night's marquee ACC-Big Ten Challenge matchup.

Behind 20 points from Scheyer, Duke (8-0) built a 20-point, second-half lead, then used a late scoring burst by Kyle Singler to hold off a Boilermakers rally and improve to 10-0 all-time in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

"This is the closest we'll get all year to playing in Chicago, so it was fun for me, being close," said Scheyer, whose family members attending included his parents, plus an aunt and two cousins who haven't been able to see him play yet at Duke.

Two things had to happen for Duke to win in front of a spirited crowd at the Mackey Arena. The Blue Devils had to match the physicality and defensive aggression of a Purdue team known for playing extremely hard.

Duke also needed somebody to shake that determined Boilermakers defense and rise above the ugliness of what was bound to be a sloppy game. The Blue Devils' defense did its part, holding Purdue (5-2) to 37.3 shooting percent from the field with nine first-half turnovers.

Guard E'Twaun Moore, the leading Boilermakers scorer hailed as a Big Ten player of the year candidate by Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, didn't score for the first time until just 10 minutes, 45 seconds remained in the contest.

For most of the game, Scheyer guarded Moore, playing him so tightly that they bumped heads at one point when Purdue had the ball.

"It was good, solid defense," Scheyer said. "But if you let Moore catch or [Robbie] Hummel catch a lot, those are so many opportunities they have. So we tried to keep it out of their hands as much as possible."

Scheyer and Singler, who scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half, rose above the fray on offense for Duke. Scheyer, a junior who once poured in 21 points in 75 seconds in an incredible burst for Glenbrook North High near Chicago, scored 10 points in the first half at Purdue as the Blue Devils built a 36-28 halftime lead.

He made a 3-pointer and two free throws in the first five minutes of second half as the Blue Devils extended the lead into double digits.

When Scheyer moved to the point after Smith committed his fourth foul, Singler took over, making two 3-pointers in 82 seconds and a clinching, driving dunk with 1:53 remaining.

"Jon and Kyle played at a really high level," Krzyzewski said. "Jon is a veteran. Jon is accustomed to being in big games. In a physical game like this, you want the ball in his hands. Because if there is foul trouble he is almost automatic at the free-throw line."

Scheyer made 9 of 10 free throws. And against a team known for being tough, the rebound margin might have been the most telling and positive statistic for Duke.

The Blue Devils are known more for quickness and skill rather than muscle, but controlled the boards by outrebounding Purdue 49-29, with Singler grabbing a game-high 12 boards.

"We were grabbing defensive rebounds, going up on the offensive glass," Duke center Brian Zoubek said. "We were playing great defense and staying toe-to-toe with the level of play. It was really physical, but I think we're getting used to that, beginning to like it."

NO. 4 DUKE 76, NO. 9 PURDUE 60

FGFTReb

DukeMinM-AM-AO-TAPFPTS

Smith205-91-21-32412

Singler367-174-46-120220

Henderson281-80-01-9512

Scheyer364-119-102-43220

Zoubek112-40-04-8144

Thomas222-41-20-5025

McClure201-13-40-3026

Paulus222-32-40-0117

Williams30-00-00-0000

Plumlee20-00-00-0020

Totals20024-5720-2616-49122076

Three-point goals: 8-22, .364 (Scheyer 3-6, Singler 2-7, McClure 1-1, Paulus 1-2, Smith 1-3, Henderson 0-3). Team Rebounds: 5. Blocked Shots: 5 (McClure 2, Henderson 2, Singler). Turnovers: 15 (Scheyer 3, Singler 3, Paulus 2, Henderson 2, Plumlee, Smith, Williams, Thomas, Zoubek). Steals: 4 (Scheyer 2, Smith, Henderson). Technical Fouls: None.

FGFTReb

PurdueMinM-AM-AO-TAPFPTS

Kramer352-70-11-5414

Hummel376-122-31-81415

Grant291-94-41-2246

Johnson194-64-60-31012

Moore325-120-01-32510

Calasan203-82-22-3019

Jackson191-40-20-0142

Green90-12-20-2022

Totals20022-5914-208-29112160

Three-point goals: 2-13, .154 (Calasan 1-2, Hummel 1-3, Kramer 0-1, Moore 0-2, Grant 0-5). Team Rebounds: 3. Blocked Shots: 5 (Johnson 3, Green, Kramer). Turnovers: 11 (Moore 4, Kramer 2, Jackson 2, Johnson, Grant, Hummel). Steals: 6 (Kramer 3, Moore, Calasan, Hummel). Technical Fouls: None.

Duke3640--76

Purdue2832--60

A--14,123.