Coach K earns 999th career win as Blue Devils down Panthers
By: Ryan Bertonaschi
Playing at Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium for the first time in 36 years, the Pitt Panthers got out to a shaky start that they could not recover from. They lost 79-65 in what became Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s 999th career win and a statement game for Duke center Jahlil Okafor, who is now Division I’s lone player to average at least 18 points and 9 rebounds while shooting at least 60 percent from the floor.
The Blue Devils improved to 15-2 overall and 4-2 in the ACC while Pitt slumped to 13-6 and 3-3 in the ACC.
Okafor, a freshman, proved to be too overbearing for Pitt’s interior defenders. He scored 14 points, and fellow freshman Tyus Jones chipped in with 22 points and 4 assists for the Blue Devils.
Jamel Artis led Pitt with 21 points and 6 rebounds, and James Robinson turned in one of his poorest performances of the season. Robinson, Pitt’s junior point guard, registered 3 turnovers and scored just two points in 27 minutes of action.
The contest featured two of the country’s best offensive rebounding teams. Shooting 45 percent from the field and 3 of 10 from outside the arc, the Panthers pulled down 13 of their missed shots as opposed to Duke’s 12 offensive rebounds, but Duke won the overall rebounding margin 36-32.
The Panthers return to action at 4 p.m. on Sunday against Louisville at the Petersen Events Center. Pitt has organized a “Gold out” for the game. All fans in attendance will receive a gold t-shirt at the gates.
