- The Buckeyes' perimeter defense was as stout as usual, limiting Duke to three three-point field goals in 15 attempts after the Blue Devils came into the game shooting 45.9 percent from behind the arc.
Their leading scorer, Seth Curry, was shooting 57.1 percent from three. He missed five of six attempts in the game.
"We told our guys, 'They?re going to make some, you can?t be surprised when they do, and you can?t falter when they make them. You?ve got to get back and we?ve got to execute offense because that?s what they do,'" Matta said.
Lenzelle Smith Jr. had his hands full trying to guard Duke's sensational freshman, Austin Rivers, who led all scorers with 22 points. But Matta said Smith "wanted that challenge.
"That?s the big thing with Lenzelle. He?s kind of fallen into his role of knowing what we need there," Matta said.
"He had a wide-open three tonight, takes it, makes it. That?s what we need Lenzelle Smith to be for this team. Rebound the ball and that sort of thing."
The three was Smith's only shot of the game. He also had five rebounds, an assist and a steal.
Matta said coaches talked throughout the game about whether
