This was supposed to be their day.
The Blue Devils welcomed Mike Krzyzewski back to the sideline after he spent a month out recovering from back surgery. There were lots of smiles during warmups, and No. 21 Duke stole the show early.
Duke’s forced Pitt to use 58 seconds in the team’s first two offensive possessions, the second ending in the Panthers’ first of two shot-clock violations of the half. Duke’s cashed in on its first two offensive touches after two straight offensive rebounds to take an early lead.
Duke’s first four shots were assisted, and it finished the half with nine led by Grayson Allen’s four.