WASHINGTON — Heralded for a stalwart defense that keeps the paint clear, the No. 1 Michigan men’s basketball team typically runs away with games by drowning out opponents’ shots. Though the Wolverines largely did so Saturday, they faced an opponent with a comparably elite defense in No. 3 Duke, a squad more than capable of doing the same.
In a recipe made for a gritty, defensive game, the Wolverines (25-2) and Blue Devils (25-2) both showed what’s made them feared foes thus far. But by doing just enough to overcome the constant blocks, steals and tough contests, Duke hung on down to the wire, 68-63, to come away with a landmark victory that’s bound to put it at the apex of college basketball.
“I would say this (Blue Devils) team is a lot better than anybody else in the Big Ten so far in my opinion,” graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg said. “They have a lot of athletes, a lot of really really good defenders and they know how to be in the gaps and play off of each other which is really tough to beat especially when shots aren’t falling.
Though shots eventually stopped falling, it was the Lendeborg show from the jump. In just over five minutes, he had already scored 12 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting streak from the field. He also found open teammates, spreading the floor as he drove and kicked to find quality looks. Lendeborg accentuated this hot start by dropping in a contested layup between three defenders to take a five-point lead — tied for Michigan’s largest of the night — at 19-14.
By contrast, Duke’s offense flowed as numerous sources found success to counter Lendeborg’s early success. Running their sets through star forward Cameron Boozer, they coaxed attention toward the ball, opening up looks for others. Meanwhile, the Wolverines’ bigs found themselves in early foul trouble, letting Boozer find mismatches against smaller defenders.
Though both teams started out hot, the game came to a grinding halt as shots stopped falling. Outside of Lendeborg — who did continue to find success — Michigan went ice cold. The Blue Devils couldn’t muster much on the other end of the floor either.
“Sometimes when you’re in these slugfests, you’re out of your offensive rhythm,” May said. “And so you don’t have the fresh legs and things like that.”
The game continued to be a defensive slugfest early in the second as the two powerhouses combined for an 8-for-26 start from the field. Back in the game after early fouls, junior center Aday Mara kept the paint clear for the Wolverines. But Michigan couldn’t make its shots either, as Duke made strong rotations and kept close to the ball.
As the Blue Devils led 53-46, the Wolverines got the break they needed as Boozer picked up his fourth foul with just under nine minutes remaining. Forcing turnover after turnover as Duke struggled without the National Player of the Year frontrunner on the floor, Michigan kept it close as the game came down to the final minutes. But soon after Boozer checked back in, Lendeborg nailed a wide open triple to cut the Blue Devils’ lead to just one at 57-56.
While the Wolverines kept Duke on its heels going into the waning minutes, Boozer provided what the Blue Devils needed: a big shot. Leading by three, Duke guard Caleb Foster corralled an offensive board and kicked it out to Boozer who drilled a 3-pointer.
“We knew when we got in the paint the paint would collapse,” Foster said. “When I caught the ball (the paint) collapsed and just pivot and kick out. I trust my boy Cam to hit the shot.”
With just under 30 seconds to go and again up three, Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba missed a layup, but secured his own board in a flash, kicking the ball out to his teammates who let the clock wind. Forced to foul, the Wolverines sent Duke guard Isaiah Evans to the line, making both to put the game on skates. The Blue Devils held on, punctuating a landmark defensive stand as the final buzzer sounded.
Both Michigan and Duke’s defenses showed out in a defensive clinic. But in the end, only one team could come out on top — the Blue Devils.
