Duke Belmont Live Coverage

Team	1st	2nd	SCORE
NCAA West Regional - Final Score
Duke Blue Devils	42	29	71
Belmont Bruins	35	35	70

Duke Belmont Live Play-by-Play Coverage

Commentary in ITALICS

Quite a finish to a game where Belmont did everything but stand on their heads. Duke holds on and will head to the second round. A classic game and a near-upset.

Belmont inbounds the ball. Justin Hare gets it and fires off a shot from midcourt as the buzzer sounds. He misses the rim by a few inches, wide left. Game over.

This is coming right down to the wire. Belmont has one chance to inbound and hit a shot to win the game. Tons of speculation about what the coaches are telling their players.

(0:02) #21 DeMarcus Nelson misses his free throw. Belmont gets the ball back with 2.2 seconds left.

(0:02) #12 Alex Renfroe inbounds directly to #21 DeMarcus Nelson. Free throws ahead for Nelson.

(0:04) Scramble for the ball. There will be a jump ball with four seconds left. Duke has a one point lead.

(0:12) Duke Blue Devils Made 2 point shot by #15 Gerald Henderson

(0:51) #15 Gerald Henderson misses a two point jumper. Belmont Bruins takes a TIME OUT. They have two left. Belmont has possession after the time out.

(1:03) After a missed shot by the Belmont Bruins, another TIME OUT. Duke will have possession of the ball.

(1:40) TIME OUT. Belmont holds a 1 pt lead.

(1:47) #3 Greg Paulus misses a 2 point jumper.

(2:02) #24 Justin Hare makes 2 of 2 free throws. Belmont takes the lead again.

(2:28) Belmont Bruins Made 3 pt shot by #20 Andy Wicke

(2:40) #15 Gerald Henderson makes 2 of 2 free throws.

Foul on Henry Harris, his second.

(2:44) Henry Harris makes 1 of 2 free throws.

They're trading three point chances again out there but their legs are getting heavier, it seems. The stretch run ahead. Just under three minutes left.

(3:32) #30 Matthew Dotson misses a 3, recovered by Duke.

(4:40) Duke Blue Devils Made 2 point shot by #15 Gerald Henderson

(4:57) Belmont Bruins Made 2 pt shot by #12 Alex Renfroe. The commentators are calling him "a superstar in the making."

(5:30) #15 Gerald Henderson hits 2 of 2 free throws.

(5:30) Foul on #33 Will Peeples

(5:33) Duke Blue Devils #21 DeMarcus Nelson misses a three point shot.

(6:07) #24 Justin Hare hits 2 of 2 free throws.

(6:07) Foul on #12 Kyle Singler, his fourth. He's replaced by #42 Lance Thomas

(6:44) Belmont Bruins Made 2 pt shot by #12 Alex Renfroe. He has 9 in the second half.

#30 Jon Scheyer goes to the line but can't complete the 4-point play.

(7:13) Duke Blue Devils Made 3 point shot by #30 Jon Scheyer

Another time out. The commentators think the extra rest will benefit the Blue Devils. 7:48 left in the game.

(8:27) Duke Blue Devils Made 2 point shot by #3 Greg Paulus

(8:45) Duke Blue Devils loses the ball out of bounds. Belmont keeps the ball.

Belmont gets several chances from their own end of the court. Duke recovers but loses it out of bounds. Belmont keeps the ball and will have a chance to retake the lead. The commentators and the crowd can hardly believe the game they're seeing. Duke once had a ten-point lead but now it's all even.

(10:25) Duke Blue Devils Made 2 point shot by #15 Gerald Henderson after a breakaway

#12 Alex Renfroe hits a free throw and Belmont has a two point lead.

(10:59) Belmont Bruins Made 2 pt shot by #12 Alex Renfroe

(11:30) Belmont Bruins Made 3 pt shot by #30 Matthew Dotson

Belmont has to be careful to stay out of foul trouble. They have a great chance only down by 4, but if their best players start fouling out they'll be in trouble.

(11:57) Foul on #2 Nolan Smith

(12:09) Duke Blue Devils Missed 2 pointer by #2 Nolan Smith

They're trading shots right now, Duke still up by 4.

(12:38) Foul on #2 Shane Dansby

(12:40) Foul on #20 Andy Wicke, his fourth

(12:55) #33 Will Peeples hits 2 of 2 free throws

(13:06) Duke Blue Devils Made 2 pointer by #55 Brian Zoubek

(13:25) Duke Blue Devils Made 3 pointer by #15 Gerald Henderson

(14:17) Huge three pointer from Belmont Bruins' #24 Justin Hare puts them within one.

(14:26) Foul on Henry Harris, his first

House drove in, got the basket, and gets fouled. He goes to the line and misses the free throw.

(14:38) Belmont Bruins Made 2 pt shot by #13 Jon House

(15:35) Belmont Bruins Made 2 pt shot by #3 Keaton Belcher

Crief says this is where the rubber meets the road for Belmont.

(15:49) #15 Gerald Henderson misses a 3 pt attempt - TV TIME OUT

(16:39) Foul on #20 Andy Wicke - it's his third

(16:45) Belmont Bruins Made 2 pt shot by #12 Alex Renfroe

(16:59) Duke Blue Devils Made 2 pointer by #12 Kyle Singler

(17:10) Belmont Bruins #12 Alex Renfroe gets 2 pts in transition, then he misses a free throw opportunity

(17:16) Duke Blue Devils Made 2 pointer by #15 Gerald Henderson

(17:55) #33 Will Peeples can't get an easy floater to go

(18:21) Duke Blue Devils Made 3 pointer by Greg Paulus

(18:49) Belmont Bruins Made 2 pt shot by #30 Matthew Dotson

(19:18) Belmont Bruins Made 2 pt shot by #30 Matthew Dotson

(19:40) Duke Blue Devils Made 2 pointer by #15 Gerald Henderson

Start of 2nd Half

HALFTIME

Belmont is shooting 50%, just a hair ahead of Duke's 48.3%. Duke is winning the battle for rebounds, and that is why they're ahead, despite Belmont shooting 5 of 12 from 3-pt range.

Though Duke has taken a little bit of the wind out of Belmont, they're still right in this game, and only need one or two early shots to keep the pressure on.

(0:01) #20 Taylor King hits a fallaway jumper to score with the clock running down.

(0:27) #2 Shane Dansby misses a free throw.

Foul on Greg Paulus

(0:45) Duke Blue Devils Missed 3 pointer by Greg Paulus

Only down by 5, Belmont has a chance to make it a one possession game with halftime just a minute away. It's a game, folks. Duke Blue Devils take a time out.

(1:24) Belmont Bruins Missed 3 pt shot by Andy Wicke

(2:19) Greg Paulus makes 2 of 2 free throws

(2:19) Foul on Alex Renfroe, his first

(2:32) Jordan Campbell missed the free throw

(2:32) Belmont Bruins Made 2 pt shot by Jordan Campbell and he's going to the line

(2:45) Greg Paulus hits 1 of 2 free throws

(2:58) Belmont Bruins Off the hands of Jon House and it goes the other way.

(3:37) Belmont is keeping it tight, and they're doing it largely without the help of their superstar Justin Hare who has 3 personal fouls.

(3:48) Duke Blue Devils Made 2 pt shot by Kyle Singler

(4:06) Belmont Bruins Made 3 pt shot by Andy Wicke - Belmont is 5 of 10 from downtown

Greg Paulus makes 1 of 2 Free Throws

(4:35) Foul on Justin Hare, he can't get another one to fall.

(4:48) Jon Scheyer hits 2 of 2 free throws - 10 pts for him

(4:53) Belmont Bruins Made 2 pt shot by Andy Wicke

(5:06) Jon Scheyer hits 2 of 2 free throws - 8 pts for him so far

(5:06) Foul on Belmont Bruins

(6:02) Belmont Bruins Made 3 pt shot by Andy Wicke

(6:27) Jon Scheyer hits 2 of 2 free throws

Foul on Keaton Belcher

(6:27) Several chances for Belmont Bruins but they can't get it to fall.

The three pt attempts are going back and forth. Very fast-paced here in the early going.

(6:57) Foul on DeMarcus Nelson

(7:33) Belmont Bruins Made 3 pt shot by Jordan Campbell

(7:46) Duke Blue Devils Made 2 pt layup by DeMarcus Nelson

(8:02) Duke Blue Devils Made 2 pt by Brian Zoubek

(8:36) Belmont Bruins Made 2 pt shot by Henry Harris

(9:42) Belmont Bruins Made 3 pt shot by Andy Wicke

(9:50) Duke Blue Devils Made 3 pt shot by Kyle Singler

(10:58) Duke Blue Devils Made 2 pt shot by Gerald Henderson

(11:20) Jump ball after a tie up

(11:38) Foul on Justin Hare. He got a bit too aggressive.

(11:56) Jon House makes 2 of 2 free throws

Coach K still has the flu. He does not look too good.

The commentators don't see a sense of urgency out of Belmont yet. They're hanging around and not letting Duke box them out too much.

(12:22) Duke Blue Devils Made 3 pt shot by Nolan Smith

(12:37) Belmont Bruins Made 2 pt shot by Justin Hare

(13:20) Duke Blue Devils Made 2 pt shot by Gerald Henderson

(13:31) Duke Blue Devils Astounding Ally-Oop Made by Gerald Henderson for 2 pts

(14:05) Duke Blue Devils 2 pt shot by Brian Zoubek

(14:14) Belmont Bruins 2 pt shot by Alex Renfroe

(14:33) Foul on Brian Zoubek

(14:39) Foul on Andy Wicke

(15:06) Jon Scheyer Made 2 pt shot by Jon Scheyer

(15:42) Duke Blue Devils Free throw made by Brian Zoubek

Foul called on Belmont Bruins - Brian Zoubek misses his first free throw.

Both teams are playing tight defense so far. Duke is being physical as well, so Belmont will have to keep up with speed. Tied 7-7 at the first TV time out.

Foul called on Shane Dansby

Lance Thomas misses his free throw

(16:24) Duke Blue Devils After a missed 3, Lance Thomas scores a 2 pt shot and gets fouled

(16:53) Belmont Bruins Made 2-point tip in by Matthew Dotson

(17:20) Duke Blue Devils has two good looks, both misses.

Alex Renfroe may be the key to this game, say the commentators.

(17:41) Belmont Bruins Made 2-pt shot by Alex Renfroe

(18:12) Duke Blue Devils Made 3-pt shot by Greg Paulus

(18:34) Duke Blue Devils Made 2-pt shot by Kyle Singler

(19:12) Belmont Bruins 3-point attempt is good by Matthew Dotson

(20:00) Tip controlled by Duke, out of bounds off the leg of Gerald Henderson

The commentators discuss Belmont's Justin Hare and his 15+ points per game. Will it be enough to upset the powerhouse of Duke?

Tip-off a few minutes away.

Duke Belmont Bracket

Duke basketball has been synonymous with the NCAA Tournament. The second seed in the West Region, the Blue Devils are making their 13th consecutive appearance, and their 24th in the last 25 years. The Belmont Bruins are only making their third tournament appearance, but the 15th seed is the 'Big Dance' for the third consecutive season, having won the regular season and conference tournament championship in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Mahalo Sports will be providing LIVE COVERAGE of the NCAA Tournament, also known as MARCH MADNESS. Game coverage begins on March 20th, and continues with every game of the tournament, right through to the National Championship. For an overview of today's action, CLICK HERE.

2008 West Region Bracket

All games airing on CBS

First Round
March 20 & 21
Sites TBD

Second Round
March 22 & 23
Sites TBD

Regional Semifinals
March 27
US Airways Arena, Phoenix AZ

Finals
March 29
US Airways Arena, Phoenix AZ

UCLA

Miss Valley St.

UCLA

Texas A&M

BYU

Texas A&M

UCLA

W. Kentucky

Drake

W. Kentucky

101

W. Kentucky

San Diego

UConn

San Diego

UCLA

Xavier

Purdue

Baylor

Purdue

Xavier

Georgia

Xavier

West Virginia

Arizona

West Virginia

Duke

Belmont

Duke Belmont Pre-Game Analysis

It just wouldn't seem like the NCAA Tournament without the Duke Blue Devils, making a 24th appearance in the last 25 years. They've been at least 1 or 2 seed in 15 of those appearances. The Blue Devils have always been known for their terrific defensive pressure and their ability to shoot three-pointers consistently, and this year's squad was no exception. DeMarcus Nelson led the team in scoring as he averaged 15.2 points per contest, one of five players to average double digits in points for the season. Nelson is also considered to be the premiere defender in the ACC. Greg Paulus is also known for knocking down big shots, as 72 of his 101 made field goals were from beyond the arc. Duke has, at times, been exposed underneath the basket, but the return of Brian Zoubek from an injury should help alleviate that. If you're thinking about not advancing them to at least the Sweet 16 in your tournament pool, consider the Blue Devils have reached the regional semifinals every year since 1997. Belmont has won 13 straight games entering this game, finishing 25-8 overall and 14-2 in conference play. They are hoping to do better than the previous two seasons, in which they were 15th seeds and blown out in the opening round. Scouting the Bruins can lead people to assume they are a feast or famine type of team. Consider that the Bruins finished in the top 15 in the country in assists, force an average of 16 turnovers per game, and have a wealth of sharpshooters, led by Justin Hare and Shane Dansby. But also consider that teams have shot 46% from the floor against them, ranking in the bottom third of the country, and were exposed for their lack of interior size in a blowout loss at Xavier earlier this season. Still, the Bruins did post victories against Cincinnati and Alabama out of their league this season, and they average just over 80 points per game as a team.

Duke Belmont Live Coverage

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