Collegiate Times

To begin the game, the Jackets turned the ball over five straight times and did not even get a field goal attempt until sophomore guard Iman Shumpert missed a 3-pointer with 17:01 left to play in the first half. The Jackets eventually recovered, but the sloppy play to start out resulted in an eight point deficit and made the difference in the game. Tech never led during the contest.

“They were a little too excited, a little too amped up to play,” Hewitt said. 

The game against Duke was the fourth one in as many days for Tech, and the loss prevented the Jackets from becoming the first team to win the finals by playing four games in four days. Even though Tech had a difficult road to the championship game, Hewitt and his players did not believe fatigue was a factor in the loss to Duke.

“You’re playing for the ACC championship, there’s no time to be tired,” junior forward Gani Lawal said.

“I never sensed in our huddle that it was difficult from a physical standpoint or a mental standpoint, Hewitt said. “I thought our guys were pretty fresh.”

The tournament win for Duke marks the 18th ACC title for the Blue Devils, surpassing North Carolina for the all-time lead, and is the ninth win in the last 12 championships. 

With the victory, Duke likely wrapped up a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, but the Devils are savoring the moment while they can.

“This is really exciting,” Scheyer said. “I could do this 100 times. This could never get old. This was a big goal of ours, but there’s a lot more we want to do. We’re going to enjoy it tonight, but once we find out who we’re playing and where we’re going, that’s where our minds are going to be.”

“I told them after the game in the 30 years that I have been here there aren’t many teams that have won the regular season and the tournament. When you do that, it is an accomplishment. Last year’s win was great, but when you do both, that’s better obviously,” said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

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