Dozen Dooms Tigers

DURHAM, N.C. -- Following a 27-point loss at Clemson last season, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said it was a defeat the Blue Devils wouldn't forget.

To hammer home his point, Krzyzewski called a timeout late in the game to let his Blue Devils take in the sour taste of the moment.

Nearly a year later, it was evident Sunday that seventh-ranked Duke hadn't forgotten, defeating No. 21 Clemson, 74-53, in the ACC opener for both teams.

To illustrate, Duke star Kyle Singler approached Trevor Booker in face-to-face proximity and offered several heated words after blocking a Booker shot midway through the first half. The emotion-laced message seemed to indicate not again, and not here.

It was an inept first half that cost the Tigers (12-3, 0-1) a chance for their first win in Cameron Indoor Stadium since Jan. 4, 1995, and their first three-game winning streak against Duke in nearly 15 years (1994-96).

"You have to play more than one half in this building," Clemson coach Oliver Purnell said. "Obviously we stunk it up in the first half.

"Unforced turnovers, execution."

The first half was Clemson's lowest-scoring half under Purnell. The Tigers had as many points (12) as fouls (12) at the break.

In their first ACC game, Clemson freshmen were clearly uncomfortable.

Clemson's rookies accounted for five of Clemson's nine first-half turnovers. Former Pinewood Prep star Milton Jennings had three and did not return until the final seconds.

"We showed our youth a little bit," Purnell said.

The Tigers missed K.C. Rivers and Terrence Oglesby, who connected on 17-of-39 3-point shots in arguably the team's three toughest road games last season: at Illinois, at North Carolina and at Virginia Tech.

Clemson went 0 of 9 from behind the arc in the first half, and it shot 16 percent from the field in the first half.

The Tigers didn't connect on a 3 until David Potter sank one with 11:20 to play in the game.

This is one of Krzyzewski's tallest teams in his 30 years with four players standing 6-10 or taller.

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Clemson Tigers

With such height, Purnell noted Duke's wall-and-pressure defense, bothered Clemson. Duke (12-1, 1-0) pressured the ball and filled the lane with their 6-10 giants. Duke blocked three shots and altered others. Purnell said Clemson needed to do a better job of moving the ball side to side.

While the Clemson freshmen could never get going, neither could Trevor Booker.

Booker was limited to 1-of-5 shooting in the first half and finished with 10 points.

After outrebounding Duke, 41-30, at Clemson last season, the Blue Devils outrebounded Clemson on Sunday, 33-29.

Clemson began to play with confidence in the second, an effort spearheaded by fearless drives by Demontez Stitt, who had a Clemson-high 17 points.

But it was another freshman turnover, a careless Noel Johnson pass, that resulted in a Nolan Smith breakaway dunk and a 59-44 Duke lead with 6:12 to play. Smith and Jon Scheyer tied for game-highs of 22. Duke shot 50 percent from the field.

"We have to find that balance," Stitt said. "Taking good shots and moving the ball."

The Blue Devils improved to 3-0 against ranked opponents, beating No. 13 Connecticut, No. 15 Gonzaga and No. 21 Clemson by a combined 55 points.

"We are going to remember this loss," Stitt said. "And they have to come back to us."