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BOX SCORE
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) -- Duke made it easy for Florida, unraveling in a surprising late-game collapse.
Brett Nelson scored 15 points and Mike Miller added 10, including four crucial free throws in the final minute, as
fifth-seeded Florida upset the top-seeded Blue Devils 87-78 on
Friday night in the East Regional semifinals.
Florida outscored Duke 13-0 in the final four minutes.
|  | | Brett Nelson, whose 15 points led a balanced Florida attack, scores over Duke's Chris Carrawell. |
Just how stunning was it? Duke (29-5) had won 26 straight games
in the East since 1986 and was 21-3 as the top seed.
"I think it's bigger news when Duke loses," said Florida coach
Billy Donovan, whose Gators (27-7) will play the Oklahoma State, a 68-66 winner over Seton Hall, for a spot in the Final Four. "You play
not to lose when you play against a team like Duke."
Nelson and his teammates played to win and atoned for Duke's
70-65 win over the Gators in the 1994 Final Four. Overshadowed by
Duke's freshman wizard, Jason Williams, Nelson outplayed his
counterpart decisively. Williams scored 13 points, but he took 20
shots, hitting just six and went 1-for-9 from long range.
"We're really excited," said Nelson, who hit three 3-pointers
and had four assists and only one turnover. "Duke was the No. 1
team in the country. To beat Duke is a great feeling. But we have
to focus because we want to reach the mountaintop. We have a few
more games to do that."
The Blue Devils lost because they couldn't shoot straight from
long range, converting just 3-of-19 3-pointers after going 2-for-17
against Kansas in the second round.
Naturally, there were tears in the Duke locker room afterward.
They didn't last long, though, and that's understandable. Duke has
been to 12 Final Fours and the program excelled this season despite
the departure of four players to the NBA after last year's loss to
Connecticut in the national championship.
"This has been as gratifying of a year as I've ever had," Duke
coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "The loss to Florida isn't going to
change that. If you expect me to feel bad, you're crazy. What a
journey my kids have given me this year."
The unexpected end to the journey came after the Gators
rebounded from a 74-69 deficit with 5:39 to go.
Duke, which went five minutes without a basket in the first
half, went cold again when the game was on the line, missing six 3s
and not getting a basket for the final 4:45.
"We've got good shooters," said Duke's lone senior, Chris
Carrawell, who finished with 16 points. "We went out firing all of
our bullets. That's all you can ask."
Duke's loss left the tournament with only one remaining top
seed, Michigan State in the Midwest Regional. Arizona was knocked
out in the second round in the West, and Stanford was eliminated in
the second round in the South.
The Blue Devils, who committed 22 turnovers, were not bothered
so much by the Florida press as they were own mistakes and errant
shots. They committed 22 turnovers.
Still, they seemed set to finally take control after Williams
hit a 3-pointer with 6:37 left for a 73-66 lead. But Nelson hit a 3
for Florida and Teddy Dupay's three-point play tied it for the 12th
time, 74-74, with 4:45 left.
Another 3 by Dupay, who had 12 points, and a layup by Brent
Wright gave the Gators the lead for good, 79-78 with 2:08 to go.
"It's a huge win confidence-wise," said Udonis Haslem, who had
13 points for the Gators. "But at the same time, we came here to
win two games, and we've only won one."
While the Blue Devils continued to fire and miss, the Gators,
who used 10 players and switched from the press to a zone defense
in the final three minutes, calmly hit six straight free throws in
the final minute.
"We hoped we had fatigued them enough," Donovan said. "I
wanted to wait as long as I could to switch."
Shane Battier led Duke with 20 points.
Trailing 40-33 at the half, Duke scored seven straight points in
the first minute of the second period to tie the game for the fifth
time.
Nate James missed a chance at a three-point play to start the
run, but Battier converted the third offensive rebound off the
missed free throw and then hit a layup for the tie.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Florida NCAA Team Report
Duke NCAA Team Report
Chat: NCAA Tourney
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Coach Billy Donovan says it's a great victory and is pleased with his team's focus.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Mike Krzyzewski feels great about his team's accomplishments this year.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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