Was the Duke-Clemson game ‘taken’ from the Tigers? Brownell says yes. Scheyer says no

The regularity with which Duke has defeated Clemson at Cameron Indoor Stadium finally pushed Tigers coach Brad Brownell over the edge on Saturday night.

First, the basics: A Clemson foul with one second left allowed Tyrese Proctor to make two free throws that lifted the No. 12 Blue Devils to a 72-71 win. It’s Duke’s 21st consecutive win over the Tigers in Durham.

To all that, and other details, Brownell said, “There was a lot of emotion from our bench because we’re a passionate group that fought their tails off and feel like the game was maybe taken from us a little bit. And that’s it. Shouldn’t be decided like that.”

Duke coach Jon Scheyer offered a retort when told about Brownell’s comments.

“You know, look I can go through the whole game,” Scheyer said, “and talk about the different plays of them pushing us in the back when we’re blocking out. I can go down the whole game. All I know is Tyrese Proctor made a heck of a play at the end to drive it to the basket. And he gets fouled and hits two free throws. He should be celebrated for that.”

Duke put itself in position to lose by shooting 41.2%, making only 21 of 33 free throws and losing the rebounding battle, 42-33.

Those are the major reasons why Clemson, after trailing by as many as 10 points in the second half, took a 71-70 lead on PJ Hall’s two free throws with 7.4 seconds to play.

Duke called timeout and ran a play they’ve practiced over and over again.

It involved in-bounding the ball to Proctor, the 6-5 sophomore guard, and clearing out to allow him to drive the ball as quickly as possible toward the basket at the opposite end.

Proctor did that, avoiding a Clemson double team before Josh Beadle blocked his path in the lane. Proctor rose to shoot and the officials called a foul when Beadle contacted Proctor’s hand and made contact with his midsection with one second left.

Of course, that call, by official Lamar Simpson, did not sit well with the Tigers. Joe Girard, checking into the Clemson lineup after Proctor made his first free throw, pounded his fist on the scorer’s table and glared toward an official.

“It’s hard to win here,” Brownell said. “I think a lot of people in the room, on the court, get caught up in the emotion of the game. And, I thought that happened tonight. Really disappointed with how it was…how it ended. Give the Duke kids credit for being aggressive and taking it to the basket, but ... That’s, that’s, that’s really poor. That’s poor.”

Clemson led 69-65 with 2:06 to play when Kyle Filipowski, Duke’s preseason All-American, looked little like a player of that ilk by missing two free throws. It was the third time in the game Filipowski had missed both shots after being fouled while shooting.

But the Blue Devils stole the ball to end Clemson’s next four possessions. Duke freshman guard Jared McCain had three of the steals, including one in the open court that led to his layup with 1:28 that cut the Tigers’ lead to 69-67.

Duke’s Mark Mitchell used his long arms to tap away a Clemson entry pass in the lane with 24 seconds left to give the Blue Devils possession.

With 15.2 seconds left, Filipowski spun in the lane to shoot and, while getting fouled, flipped the ball up and in the basket with his left hand. His free throw put Duke ahead 70-69.

Scheyer chose to focus on that play, along with Proctor’s aggressive drive in the final seconds to get a shot attempt off, as what decided the game.

“A lot of contact both ways and that’s part of playing the ACC,” Scheyer said. “You’ve got to find a way to get a win. The play that Flip made and the play that Tyrese made were big time.”

After Proctor’s free throws, Girard fired a baseball pass toward the Clemson lane. There, Mitchell and Hall collided with Mitchell touching the ball first. Time expired as Duke’s Jared McCain gathered the loose ball and Clemson’s players and coaches aimed their ire toward Simpson, the official who was positioned in front of their bench.

Girard and Clemson guard Chase Hunter had to be restrained.

The Blue Devils, meanwhile, took deep breaths and celebrated with the Cameron Crazies, high-fiving the students on their way to the locker room. That included Scheyer, who had seen his team lose four of its five games decided by five points or less this season prior to dispatching Clemson.

“All I know is,” Scheyer said,”I’m proud of my team, man. I’m proud of my team for finding a way to win and playing through contact.”