CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Duke teammates who won a Virginia high school state championship together two years ago, Jeremy Roach and Trevor Keels put the Blue Devils in position to win at John Paul Jones Arena Wednesday night.
Blue Devils freshman A.J. Griffin helped them complete the job.
On a night when Roach scored a season-high 15 and Keels added 13, Griffin’s 10 points over the final four minutes allowed the No. 7 Blue Devils to outlast the Virginia, 65-61, in ACC basketball.
Roach, a sophomore guard, and Keels, a freshman guard, were state champions together at northern Virginia’s Paul VI High before leaving the state to play at Duke (24-4, 14-3 ACC).
On a night when Blue Devils star freshman Paolo Banchero struggled with 2 of 13 shooting to score eight points, Roach came off the bench to fill the gap. The 6-2 Roach hit 6 of 7 shots, including all three of his 3-pointers.
But it was Griffin, who finished with 13 points, who came up big in the clutch for ACC-leading Duke. The Blue Devils lead was 52-51 when he scored the Blue Devils next eight points.
Kihei Clark scored a game-high 25 points for Virginia (17-11, 11-7). Jayden Gardner finished with 16 points.
Duke lead 30-25 at halftime and, though Virginia climbed within one point early in the second half, the Blue Devils extended their lead to 52-44 on a Roach 3-pointer with 6:46 to play.
Virginia, though, took advantage as the Blue Devils offense lagged for the next three minutes. Gardner hit a jumper, Reece Beekman a 3-pointer and Clark sank a floater in the lane slicing Duke’s lead to 52-51 with 5:02 left.
The Cavaliers had two shots to take the lead but Clark missed an open 3-pointer with 4:31 left and Gardner a short jumper at 3:57.
A.J. Griffin ended Duke’s scoreless drought with a 3-pointer putting the Blue Devils ahead 55-51 with 3:39 left.
Armaan Franklin scored for Virginia, but Griffin swished another 3-pointer with 2:40 left pushing Duke’s lead to 58-53.
Griffin drove to score with 2:06 left giving Duke a 60-55 lead.
Then came Griffin’s top defensive play of the night. Virginia trailed 60-57 and tried to force the ball inside. Griffin knocked the pass away where Keels grabbed the ball to drive for a layup with 56.4 seconds left putting Duke up 62-57.
Duke started the game missing six of its first seven shots and Virginia, behind Clark’s phenomenal shooting, built a 22-17 lead with 4:31 play in the half on his sixth 3-pointer.
But the Blue Devils dominated the rest of play until halftime. After Keels hit one of two free throws after an strong drive down the lane, A.J. Griffin hit his first 3-pointer of the game. Following a Virginia turnover, Roach scored in the lane giving Duke a 23-22 lead.
Beekman hit a jumper stopping Duke’s run but Mark Williams tipped in his own miss giving Duke a 25-24 lead.
After Gardner’s free throw tied the score again, Keels’ 3-pointer with 46 seconds left in the half put Duke ahead 28-25.
Clark attempted to tie the game, but Roach blocked his 3-point attempt and Banchero hit a layup with 4.2 seconds left giving Duke its 30-25 halftime lead.
After that struggling start from the field, Duke finished the first half at 46.4% (13 of 28).
