Nov. 16, 2009

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DURHAM, N.C. - The Coastal Carolina University men's basketball team (1-1) started out strong in both halves, but the Chanticleers shot just 28.6 percent from the field and had an over-seven minute scoring drought in the first half in a 74-49 loss to #9/8 Duke (2-0) Nov. 16 in the first round of the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off in Durham, N.C.

Coastal Carolina opened the game with a backdoor layup from redshirt-senior Logan Johnson (Knoxville, Tenn./South Doyle) at 19:32. Redshirt-senior Joseph Harris (Lejeune, N.C./Lejeune) then had a steal on Duke's next possession. Senior Mario Edwards' (Massillon, Ohio/Chipola J.C.) shot missed, but redshirt-freshman Sam McLaurin (Havana, Fla./East Gadsden) grabbed the rebound and dunked it for a 4-0 lead. Johnson then stole the ball and fed Edwards for a fast-break dunk, giving the Chants a 6-0 lead. Duke then scored the next nine points, but a Harris jumper made it 9-8 at 12:56. At 10:43, redshirt-sophomore Jon Pack (Dallas, Ga./East Paulding) hit a jumper to make it 16-12 Duke. Coastal would not score again until Edwards' three at 3:15, making it 26-15 Duke. Edwards' three at 1:07 cut the Blue Devil lead to 30-19, but Kyle Singler hit a three with 53 seconds left, making it 33-19 at the half.

Edwards had nine points in the first half, including hitting two three-pointers. Harris and McLaurin led the Chants with four rebounds apiece. For Duke, Singler had 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots. Coastal was 8-of-30 from the field, while Duke shot 41.4 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes.

Coastal Carolina would score the first four points of the second half on layups from Johnson and McLaurin, but Duke went on a 7-0 run, capped by a Singler jumper. The Chants would cut it to 43-28 at 13:53 on a Johnson three-pointer, but a three by Andre Dawkins at 11:03 pushed the Duke lead to 50-28 at 11:03. Sophomore Dexter Moore (Bluefield, W. Va./Hargrave Military) came back and hit a three, but that would be the last time the scoring margin was under 20 points.

Edwards had 12 points and five rebounds, while Johnson and Moore had seven points apiece. McLaurin added eight rebounds and a blocked shot. Harris had six points and seven rebounds, ending his consecutive double-digit rebounding streak at 13. Duke was led by Singler's 23 points, 11 rebounds and two blocked shots. Dawkins had 13 points, while Miles Plumlee and Jon Scheyer added 10 apiece. Scheyer also had a game-high five assists.

The rebounding and turnover margins were pretty equal, as the Chants had 34 rebounds and 14 turnovers, while the Blue Devils had 40 boards and 12 turnovers.

Coastal will face either Elon or Charlotte Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 8:30 p.m., in the second leg of the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off.