Devils will try to avoid upset bug

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --

Duke will try to avoid catching the upset bug that has infected the NCAA Tournament today when it resumes play in the second round of the South Regional.

California, the Pac-10 Conference's regular-season champion, will be the opponent at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena at about 5:20 p.m. Duke is the regional's No. 1 seed, but lofty status has proven to be no immunity in the tournament's first weekend.

The Blue Devils will begin to enter a crucial stage of the tournament, given the postseason problems they have encountered the past five seasons. They haven't advanced past the regional semifinals since 2004, but Duke forward Lance Thomas said he doesn't think his team is approaching a mental wall.

"Our mindset right now is winning," said Thomas. "I feel like we might have been timid in the past couple of years that we've been in this tournament, but I don't sense that in anybody this year.

"We're a very confident team. This game isn't going to be easy by any means, but we're ready for it."

Duke is 30-5. Cal is 24-10. Friday night victories propelled both teams into the second round, but Duke center Brian Zoubek said he knows from three seasons of NCAA Tournament experience that the difficulty of play increases in the next round.

"It's completely different," Zoubek said. "You're just kind of getting used to everything in the first game. Everything just steps up. Preparation has to step up, and intensity. They're going to be coming after us with their guns firing, and we've got to be ready for it."

The Golden Bears have four senior starters, among them forward Jamal Boykin, a former Duke player.

Sophomore forward Omondi Amoke, a starter, didn't accompany the team to Jacksonville after being suspended by Coach Mike Montgomery for a team rules violation.

The Golden Bears don't have the Blue Devils' size in the frontcourt, but they have a perimeter attack that can inflict serious damage.

Jerome Randle, a 5-10 guard, was the Pac-10 player of the year. He averages a team-high 18.8 points.

Patrick Christopher, a 6-5 shooting guard, averages 16 points and was All-Pac 10 first team, and forward Theo Robertson averages 14.1. Boykin averages a team-high 6.6 rebounds.

The three outside players have at least 1,264 career points, topped by Randle's 1,802. They have shot 495 of the Golden Bears' 597 3-point attempts, led by Randle's 222. They have made 195, led by Randle with 90.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski said he can't remember an opponent that Duke has played in his 30 seasons that has three shooters who can fire away from so far from the basket.

"All three of these guys stretch you," Krzyzewski said. "They shoot NBA 3s. I can't think of one (team) like that. There's no one in our league like that.

"Maryland's probably the best offensive team in our league, but they have two (shooters). The more I talk about it, the more I get concerned. They can knock you back with the long shots they take."

Point guard Jon Scheyer of Duke played AAU basketball against Randle back home in Illinois. Scheyer said that Randle was a good shooter back then, who also attacked the basket, but now Randle seems to have sharpened his accuracy and extended his range.

Randle said he's confident that Cal is just as qualified as Duke to win and advance to next week's regional semifinals.

"I think a lot of people are making a big deal out of just playing them," Randle said. "They strap their shoes on just as we do. They're a basketball team just as we are.

"I know they're going to come out and play hard, which they do every time they step on the court. We just have to come out and match their intensity and really do the things we do best to try and get a win."

Randle does not resent Duke for its numerous television appearances or command of the national spotlight, and admired the program when growing up in Chicago. He views the game as a chance for Cal to advance, not to get even because of Duke's reputation.

"I loved them; they were great," Randle said. "I never had anything against them … until now."

bcole@wsjournal.com.