Harris' 36 lead Virginia past No. 3 Duke, 73-68

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) a' Joe Harris scored a 36 factors and Virginia celebrated the 11-year anniversary of its last victory over a high 5 staff by doing it again, whipping No. 3 Duke 73-68 on Thursday evening. Akil Mitchell included 19 details and 12 rebounds as he and Harris outplayed Duke's top twosome of Seth Curry and Mason Plumlee, giving Virginia (20-8, 10-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) its 16th consecutive victory in the home. It got 11 years to the day since an 87-84 success, also against No. 3 Duke. Curry led Duke with 28 points, all but five coming after halftime, and Quinn Cook had 22, but the Blue Devils (24-4, 11-4) did not decrease either Harris or Mitchell, whose prominent play kept a crowd giddy all night. Plumlee finished with 10 points, eight boards and three turnovers and several times looked up to see Mitchell dunking over him. In the second half, Harris and Mitchell obtained Virginia's first 16 points while the Cavaliers developed a lead with 3:23 left before closing the success at the free throw line. Virginia led 28-23 at halftime. Curry hit a 3-pointer to start out the next half but Mitchell replied with a, Harris missed a over Plumlee, but went around him for the recovery and set it in. Since the Blue Devils were missing six sequential pictures, Mitchell hit two free throws, and when Rasheed Sulaimon fouled Harris in the act of firing, he received a technical foul for fighting. Harris made all shots, finishing off a burst that made 38-26 to it, and when Virginia added a 7-2 burst a few days later, the guide was 49-35 with 8:15 to perform and John Paul Jones Arena was roaring. The Blue Devils, and also require been looking forward to a game with No. 5 points never were never got closer than nine by Miami on Saturday, until the final second, when Virginia built 3 of 4 free throws to keep on. The victory was huge for the Cavaliers, have been in need of a marquee victory to improve their NCAA tournament credentials, and first got it with a fast start and a stifling defensive effort that minimal Duke to 39.6 percent firing (21 of 53). And the Cavaliers achieved it despite building only three 3-pointers, more than four below its average, by beating the ball inside. Virginia scored 34 details inside, Duke just 22. Having its first sellout since New York visited last period, the Cavaliers quickly brought the group to the game by scoring the first seven items on their way to a 15-4 guide after 6 1/2 minutes. The lead got to 18-6 on a play by Harris before Duke resolved down offensively. Curry hit two free throws for his first items midway through the half, causing a 15-4 burst for the Blue Devils that got them within 22-21 with 4:26 to perform. Curry concluded it with a, hit only field goal of the half. Duke's only points the remaining portion of the half came on Plumlee's lone field goal of the half. Jontel Evans grab and layup gave Virginia a 24-21 guide, and was Virginia's first field goal scored by anyone but Harris in over 11 minutes. Bins by Harris and Mitchell made it 28-23 at the half. --- Follow Hank on twitter at: http://twitter.com/hankkurzjr