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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Jason Williams has been Duke's ignitor this
season. On Tuesday night, he torched Boston College.
Williams scored a career-high 34 points and had nine assists as
No. 2 Duke won its sixth straight game, a 97-75 victory over No. 25
Boston College.
|  | | Shane Battier, left, battles BC's Kenny Walls, back, and Troy Bell for a rebound. Battier had 22 points in Duke's win. |
Williams, arguably the best player in the country over the last
month, scored more than 20 points for the fifth time in seven
games. He's averaged 26 points and six assists in five games
against ranked opponents this season.
Against Boston College, Williams keyed the decisive run early in
the second half and hounded Eagles sharpshooter Troy Bell for most
of the night.
"He controlled the game for them and did what he had to do,"
said Boston College coach Al Skinner, whose team has lost two of
three after opening 11-0. "That was the difference."
Boston College (12-2) pulled within 44-42 less than a minute
into the second half, but Williams' pull-up jumper and two assists
keyed an 11-0 run in less than two minutes.
Williams slapped the floor on successive Boston College
possessions to stir up the crowd, then raised his arms on the next
two to bring the decibel level higher.
He sent the "Cameron Crazies" into a frenzy with 17:18 left,
feeding Carlos Boozer for a two-handed dunk that put the Blue
Devils up 55-42.
Williams says it has been the encouragement of teammate Shane
Battier that has led to his take-control attitude.
"That's one thing that he's said to me," said Williams, a
sophomore. "The ball's in my hand the predominant time and I have
to take control of it."
Duke (16-1) has averaged 101 points in six games since losing to
Stanford on Dec. 21.
Williams hit 12 of 19 shots, including 5-for-10 from 3-point
range, and had five rebounds. His previous high was 30 points
against Temple on Dec. 2.
Bell, who had scored 20 or more points in four of his last five
games, led the Eagles with 16, but was just 4-for-16 from the field.
The combination of Williams and Battier forced Bell into several
bad shots in the second half as he went 1-for-7.
"They screen for him a lot and if you try to get over the top,
he can beat you without the screen," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski
said. "We decided that Jason had one side and Shane had the other
side, and overall that was good."
Battier had 22 points, 15 on 3-pointers, and Boozer was 10-for-14
and scored 22. Both blocked four shots.
About the only mistake Williams made was a no-look pass to no
one with six minutes left, but Duke led 81-62 at the time. He also
goaded Kenny Walls into throwing an elbow with less than a second
left, leading to technical for Walls and four free throws for
Williams.
Duke went on an 11-3 run midway through the first half to build
a 26-17 lead. Boozer's left-handed layup off a drive capped the run
with 8:50 left.
Duke led 42-38 at halftime after struggling at times. The Blue
Devils did a poor job of blocking out, leading to 13 Boston College
offensive rebounds, and had 12 turnovers.
"We just need to rebound better," Krzyzewski said. "Over the
last couple of games we've won big, but we've given up a lot of
offensive boards and that bad habit hurt us. We did a much job of
rebounding in the second half."
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ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard
Boston College Clubhouse
Duke Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Blue Devils' fans go crazy as Carlos Boozer dunks the Jason Williams' pass.
avi: 973 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Duke's Nate James loses control of the ball, but somehow scores the basket.
avi: 932 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
The Eagles' Jonathan Beerbohm blocks Duke's Nate James.
avi: 895 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Shane Battier dishes to a wide-open Carlos Boozer for a Duke slam.
avi: 682 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Duke's Mike Dunleavy steals the ball and dishes to Jason Williams for the trey.
avi: 1270 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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