(2) Duke 74, (7) Texas 69
Sophomore guard Nolan Smith and junior swingman Gerald Henderson made five critical free throws in the final minute to give No. 2 Duke a 74-69 win against mistake-prone No. 7 Texas. The Blue Devils’ defense minimized the long-range threat of senior guard A.J. Abrams, holding Texas’ best shooter to two three-pointers. But Texas responded by spreading the court and attacking the lane, primarily with freshman guard Varez Ward. Whenever Texas appeared close to overtaking Duke in the second half, the Longhorns committed a mistake. They finished with 15 turnovers and missed 9-of-25 free throws. Henderson led Duke with 24 points and attacked Texas’ defense, getting to the line to make 10-of-13 free throws.
