Filipowski, Proctor help No. 24 Duke rally past Pitt 77-69

COURTSIDE FOR MORE ON THIS BASKETBALL RENAISSANCE. >> IT WAS TWO REALLY GOOD GAMES AGAINST TWO OUTSTANDING PROGRAMS. WE SHOWED A GREAT COMPETITIVE SPRIT AND A TOUGHNESS AND TOGETHERNESS AND THAT’S WHAT IT TOOK TO BEAT THOSE TWO PROGRAMS . WE DID SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS IN BOTH GAMES THERE IS STILL ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. >> THERE IS A BUZZ AROUND TOWN ABOUT THIS BASKETBALL TEAM A 4-0 START FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2012 BACK-TO-BACK WINS FOR THE FIRST TIME OVER RANKED OPPONENTS SINCE 2011 2012 SO HOW DO YO KEEP THIS TEAM GROUNDED. >> THIS GENERATION YOU CAN TELL THEM TO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THAT STUFF ESPECIALLY SOCIAL MEDIA. I TELL MY KIDS AT HOME, THAT THAT’S A MOOT POINT, THEY ARE GOING TO READ IT THE THING WE TRY TO DO IS TO GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS REAL AND WHAT IS NOT REAL THE THING. I TALK TO THEM ABOUT IS THAT ITS OTHER PEOPLE OPINIONS I AM PRETTY SURE THEY HAD SOME OPINIONS WHEN WE LOST TO VANDERBILT WE LOST TO WEST VIRGINIA WE LOST THOSE THREE GAMES IN A ROW. THAT WAS NOT REAL THIS IS NOT REAL ITS ALWAYS SOMWHERE IN THE MIDDLE. ANDREW: PIT

First-year big man Kyle Filipowski had a season-high 28 points and matched his season high of 15 rebounds to help No. 24 Duke rally from 12 down to beat Pittsburgh 77-69 on Wednesday night.The 7-footer was the center of the offensive effort for the Blue Devils (13-4, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), making 8 of 14 shots and 11 of 13 free throws.Fellow freshman Tyrese Proctor added 14 points for Duke, including a pair of tough driving scores that helped the Blue Devils hold their late lead.The Blue Devils got back into the game with a stronger defensive effort and by attacking the paint and controlling the glass. After Pitt thrived in isolation plays with some of its top shot-makers to build its lead, Duke started getting stops in those sequences to start climbing back with more defensive switches.The Blue Devils were also relentless rebounders, which in turn helped them assert themselves with urgency in the lane.Duke had a 15-0 run during the game-turning stretch, which included Filipowski and Ryan Young going to work on the boards.Pittsburgh (11-6, 4-2), meanwhile, went more than eight minutes without a basket and never found its range from behind the arc after thriving there all season.Jamarius Burton scored 16 points to lead the Panthers, who shot 8 of 28 after halftime (28.6%) and made 6 of 22 3-pointers for the game.BIG PICTUREPittsburgh: The Panthers had been one of the surprises in a league where little has gone to plan so far. They got off to their first 4-0 ACC start since their debut season in the league in 2013-14 before before falling last weekend to Clemson, which entered the week a league-best 5-0 in ACC play. They shot nearly 57% before the break and played with plenty of confidence early — including Blake Hinson barking at the rowdy “Cameron Crazies” after making a first-half 3 — but were unable to keep it going when Duke upped its defensive intensity.Duke: The Blue Devils were coming off a bumpy week, which included a blowout loss at North Carolina State and a one-point win at Boston College. But the defend-and-rebound emphasis under first-year coach Jon Scheyer was on full display after halftime. By the end of the game, Duke nearly had as many offensive rebounds (24) as Pittsburgh had total rebounds and had finished with a 51-28 edge on the glass. Duke also scored 24 second-half points in the paint after managing 10 before the break.SHORT-HANDEDBoth teams were missing key contributors.Duke captain Jeremy Roach (11.9 points) missed his second straight game with a lingering toe injury. He was wearing a gray boot on his right foot on the bench.Pitt said forward John Hugley IV (8.0 points) didn't make the trip due to a non-COVID illness.UP NEXTPittsburgh: At Georgia Tech on Saturday.Duke: At Clemson on Saturday.___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap___AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

DURHAM, N.C. —

First-year big man Kyle Filipowski had a season-high 28 points and matched his season high of 15 rebounds to help No. 24 Duke rally from 12 down to beat Pittsburgh 77-69 on Wednesday night.

The 7-footer was the center of the offensive effort for the Blue Devils (13-4, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), making 8 of 14 shots and 11 of 13 free throws.

Fellow freshman Tyrese Proctor added 14 points for Duke, including a pair of tough driving scores that helped the Blue Devils hold their late lead.

The Blue Devils got back into the game with a stronger defensive effort and by attacking the paint and controlling the glass. After Pitt thrived in isolation plays with some of its top shot-makers to build its lead, Duke started getting stops in those sequences to start climbing back with more defensive switches.

The Blue Devils were also relentless rebounders, which in turn helped them assert themselves with urgency in the lane.

Duke had a 15-0 run during the game-turning stretch, which included Filipowski and Ryan Young going to work on the boards.

Pittsburgh (11-6, 4-2), meanwhile, went more than eight minutes without a basket and never found its range from behind the arc after thriving there all season.

Jamarius Burton scored 16 points to lead the Panthers, who shot 8 of 28 after halftime (28.6%) and made 6 of 22 3-pointers for the game.

BIG PICTURE

Pittsburgh: The Panthers had been one of the surprises in a league where little has gone to plan so far. They got off to their first 4-0 ACC start since their debut season in the league in 2013-14 before before falling last weekend to Clemson, which entered the week a league-best 5-0 in ACC play. They shot nearly 57% before the break and played with plenty of confidence early — including Blake Hinson barking at the rowdy “Cameron Crazies” after making a first-half 3 — but were unable to keep it going when Duke upped its defensive intensity.

Duke: The Blue Devils were coming off a bumpy week, which included a blowout loss at North Carolina State and a one-point win at Boston College. But the defend-and-rebound emphasis under first-year coach Jon Scheyer was on full display after halftime. By the end of the game, Duke nearly had as many offensive rebounds (24) as Pittsburgh had total rebounds and had finished with a 51-28 edge on the glass. Duke also scored 24 second-half points in the paint after managing 10 before the break.

SHORT-HANDED

Both teams were missing key contributors.

Duke captain Jeremy Roach (11.9 points) missed his second straight game with a lingering toe injury. He was wearing a gray boot on his right foot on the bench.

Pitt said forward John Hugley IV (8.0 points) didn't make the trip due to a non-COVID illness.

UP NEXT

Pittsburgh: At Georgia Tech on Saturday.

Duke: At Clemson on Saturday.

___

Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap

___

AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Filipowski, Proctor help No. 24 Duke rally past Pitt 77-69

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