CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The second time was harder. Much, much harder.
Even without two injured starters, clearly winded from three high-level games in the span of three days, and facing a team hell-bent on avenging a 26-point blowout two weeks prior, No. 1 Duke reminded the nation of something on Saturday with its 74-70 ACC championship win over No. 10 Virginia:
Good as he is, the Blue Devils are more than Cameron Boozer — and more than good enough, even in their current state, to cut down the nets in Indianapolis.
Despite Boozer — the likely Wooden Award winner, and Duke’s leading scorer and rebounder — only finishing with 13 points on three-of-17 shooting, Duke’s depleted depth chart stepped up in a major way to lead Jon Scheyer’s team to its third ACC title in four years. Nobody stepped up more than Boozer’s twin brother, Cayden, who paced the Blue Devils with 14 first-half points, and whose pivotal offensive rebound and putback with 2:49 left helped give Duke the cushion it needed down the stretch.
And then, when it mattered most? Cam Boozer delivered, same as he had all season, just enough to push Duke over the hump. Leading by two with 27.4 seconds left, Boozer drove into the teeth of Virginia’s defense, got blocked by Virginia center Ugonna Onyenso, but secured what proved to be the game-deciding offensive rebound. After grabbing that board, he kicked it out to Isaiah Evans, who was fouled and hit two free throws to put Duke up 4, giving it just enough cushion.
Just for the cherry on top, Boozer made two free throws with 3.9 seconds left to solidify the final 4-point margin.
With the win, Duke becomes the first ACC program in over a quarter century to sweep the league regular-season and tournament titles in consecutive years.
The last to do so? Well … also Duke, back in 1999 and 2000.
Saturday also means that Scheyer is the first ACC coach ever to win three conference tournament titles in his first four years as a head coach.
And as has been the case during so many of Duke’s signature wins this season — including its previous 11 ranked victories — the Blue Devils won the game in the crucible, in the final decisive minutes.
No wonder Jon Scheyer reminded his team, in its penultimate huddle with just over six minutes left: “This is where we’re at our best.”
And even shorthanded, as good as any team in America.