Duke Floundering In Unfamiliar Territory

Not even the comforts of home could lift Duke out of the dumps.

The Blue Devils had the idea that returning to Cameron Indoor Stadium might help snap them out of their uncharacteristic three-game losing skid. Instead, Virginia made the homecoming just as miserable, rallying from 23 down Saturday for a 91-88 victory in double overtime.

“We wanted to be at home, we wanted to battle,” Duke interim coach Pete Gaudet said.

In one of Duke’s most unusual seasons, things began falling apart. The Blue Devils have gone through their first full week without coach Mike Krzyzewski. His hasty return from an Oct. 22 operation on a displaced disc led to more problems, and he was hospitalized Jan. 14.

Krzyzewski was released from Duke University Hospital on Tuesday and told by doctors to forget about the game until his back troubles were completely gone. His team’s troubles are only worsening.

The four-game losing streak is Duke’s worst since 1984. The four Atlantic Coast Conference losses mark the first 0-4 start in the league since the 1981-82 season.

He makes a small point

Guard Keith Braswell, a freshman walk-on from Cincinnati, is listed at 5-feet on the Dayton roster. He’s actually 4-11.

“You look at him the first time, you chuckle,” Dayton coach Oliver Purnell said. “The second time, you smile. The third time, you realize he can play.” Braswell wears size 4 basketball shoes that the school buys from a children’s department at a retail store.

Braswell has played 12 minutes as a reserve point guard. Or, as sports information director Doug Hauschild said, “a decimal point guard.”

The word from Marshall

UConn senior Donny Marshall has to be on guard now that he has been ejected for fighting. Another fighting violation and his career would end. “I’m going to have to be on my P’s and Q’s now,” Marshall said.

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