Dec. 21, 2000
Box Score Read Related Newspaper and Website Articles Quotes Notes Photo GalleryOAKLAND, Calif. - With one picture-perfect fallaway bank shot, CaseyJacobsen struck a blow for Stanford, West Coast basketball and his ownreputation.
Jacobsen banked in a jumper with 3.6 seconds left as No. 3 Stanford roaredback from an 11-point deficit in the final four minutes to beat top-ranked Duke84-83 Thursday night at the Pete Newell Challenge.
"Now there'll be a new No. 1, and we'll see who it will be," Jacobsen saidwith a grin.
According to Jacobsen, who tied his career high with 26 points, Stanford'sfirst victory over a top-ranked team since 1988 was more than a thrillingcomeback win in front of a deafening crowd.
It was redemption for the Cardinal (9-0), who are still stinging from lastseason's collapse against North Carolina in the NCAA tournament. Stanford oftenfeels overlooked on the West Coast despite its perennially high nationalranking.
After beating Duke, that respect shouldn't take long to arrive.
"I took this game personal, because a lot of people on the East Coasthadn't seen me play since the North Carolina game," said Jacobsen, who missed10 of 12 shots against the Tar Heels. "I just wanted to set the recordstraight about me.
"We don't get a chance to play a lot of East Coast teams, and we wantedeveryone out there to know what Stanford basketball was all about."
It's about heart, apparently. After being outrun and outplayed all night,the Cardinal put together a stunning rally that had everyone from Newell toJerry West to Stanford alum Tiger Woods standing and cheering.
"There's an aura Duke has because they play with such extreme confidence,"Stanford coach Mike Montgomery said. "We need to develop that ... and this wasa big step."
Down 77-66 with four minutes to play, Stanford finally sensed fatiguecatching up to the Blue Devils' seven-man rotation. The Cardinal made an 11-1run and tied it at 79 on Julius Barnes' layup with 1:09 left, but MikeDunleavy's leaner with 51 seconds left reclaimed the lead for Duke (10-1).
"We didn't convert our last few chances, and that put us in a position tolose," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "We came out ready to play, but wejust missed at the end."
The Blue Devils led 83-82 when Dunleavy was fouled with 14 seconds left, buthe missed two free throws to give Stanford one last shot. With calm andprecision, Jacobsen came off a screen, drove the left side of the court andkissed a fallaway shot off the glass.
"We did everything we had to do until the last four minutes," saidDunleavy, who had 13 points. "I thought I'd make (the free throws), and we'dget out of here with a win."
Duke rushed back down the court, but Jason Williams missed a driving layup,and Nate James' follow-up shot came after the buzzer. Woods and his friendshugged each other, and the Cardinal hugged each other to celebrate Stanford'ssecond victory over a No. 1 team in school history.
California faced Georgia in the second game of the Challenge, but all eyesat Oakland Arena were focused on the Bay Area's most high-profile college hoopsmatchup in years. The game lived up to every bit of its hype.
For most of the game, the Cardinal appeared to be on the verge of sufferinga blowout loss. The game was expected to be a contest of wills betweenStanford's powerful inside game and Duke's up-tempo style, but the Blue Devilsjumped to a big early lead, then continually threatened to pull away in thesecond half.
"We were kind of timid to start the game, and we shouldn't have been,"Montgomery said. "I thought as the game went on, we got accustomed to playingat that level."
Jacobsen kept the Cardinal within striking distance by shooting 11-of-19from all spots on the field.
Shane Battier scored 26 points for Duke before fouling out with 35 secondsleft. Carlos Boozer also fouled out with five minutes left.
Williams had 26 points and played stifling defense, but the confident,balanced offensive club that dominated the first 35 minutes disappeared duringStanford's comeback. Duke shot just 29 percent in the second half.
Jason Collins had 10 points and 15 rebounds for Stanford. His twin brother,Jarron, added 16 points and six rebounds as Stanford improved to 19-0 in gamesthe twins have started together.
Newell, the 85-year-old coaching icon who led Cal to the 1959 NCAA title andcoached the Olympic team in 1960, watched from courtside with Jerry West andOscar Robertson. A few seats down the row, Woods and his college roommate,Jerry Chang, cheered on the Cardinal.
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer