Freshman Rivers leads Duke to win in China
STAFF REPORT
KUNSHAN, China — Freshman guard Austin Rivers scored 18 points to lead Duke to a 77-64 win over the Chinese Olympic Team in an exhibition basketball game here Wednesday morning EDT.
The game is the first of four exhibition games the Blue Devils are playing during a two-week trip to China and Dubai.
Rivers, the son of Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, made 8 of 15 shots from the field in his first game with the Blue Devils.
“I felt very comfortable from the start of the game,” said Rivers, who also led Duke with five assists. “We got off to a little bit of a slow start but in the second half we came out and played well. We are excited about the way we played especially in the second half and looking forward to getting out there to continue to develop.”
Junior forward Ryan Kelly added 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Blue Devils.
Junior guards Andre Dawkins (15 points) and Seth Curry (13) helped Duke place four players in double figures.
Dawkins made a team-best four 3-pointers, while Curry added three.
After Duke led by nine points at halftime, 3-pointers by Rivers, Dawkins and Curry early in the fourth quarter helped the Blue Devils push their lead to 20 points. The Chinese team never climbed closer than 20 points the rest of the game.
Miles Plumlee, Duke’s lone senior, grabbed 10 rebounds before fouling out in the third quarter. Sophomore forward Josh Hairston added seven rebounds as Duke won the rebounding battle 52-40.
Defensively, Duke limited the Chinese team to 20 of 61 (32 percent) shooting from the field while forcing 19 turnovers.
The Blue Devils play the Chinese Olympic Team again today in Shanghai at 8 a.m. in a game televised by ESPNU. The teams will play again on Aug. 22 in Beijing, with that game also on ESPNU.
Source: HeraldSun - Duke Sports
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