NCAA Tournament notes: Duke’s Duhon downed, not out

Steve Addy

Monday, April 2, 2001 | 10:35 a.m.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Had it been a cartoon, a tall lump would've risen on Chris Duhon's head and birds would have circled it in a chirping halo.

He can laugh now, because Duke's freshman guard will get to play for the NCAA championship tonight against Arizona.

But it wasn't so funny Saturday night when Duhon had a mid-air collision with Maryland's Steve Blake in the NCAA semifinals at the Metrodome.

The two collided with 3:51 left in the game, won by Duke 95-84. Duhon's head slammed the floor and he lay motionless for five minutes. With faltering steps, he finally walked to the locker room, and was able to return to the court for the final minute.

"I kind of blacked out," Duhon said Sunday. "I don't know how long, but I definitely blacked out. It was a knockout blow.

"The only thing I remember was the ball in the air. I tried to get the ball, we collided and my head hit the floor."

Especially considering Duhon suffered a concussion two weeks ago against Missouri, Duke doctors were extra cautious about his latest bell-ringer. They checked in on him periodically Saturday night, making sure he wasn't suffering any severe symptoms.

Duhon has received tentative clearance to play tonight, and the ACC rookie of the year says he is determined to make his ninth straight start for the Blue Devils.

"I'll be there," he said. "My head hurts, but I'm not feeling any signs of dizziness. I'll take some Tylenol and be ready to go."

Arizona's injury situation also improved Sunday. Guard Gilbert Arenas, who played fantastically in Saturday's 80-61 rout of Michigan State, will play tonight despite a chest bruise.

Arenas ran into Spartans forward Zach Randolph (6-9, 270) early in the second half while making one of his six steals. Arenas went for a breakaway dunk, then left the game for a spell. He returned, but sat out Sunday's practice as a precaution. "He should be fine," coach Lute Olson said.

Boozer missed six games after suffering the injury Feb. 27 against Maryland, but returned three games ago against UCLA in the East Regional at Philadelphia. After combining for three points in 44 minutes against UCLA and Southern Cal, he exploded for 19 off the bench against Maryland.

Boozer scored 11 of Duke's final 27 points to cap its rally from a 22-point first-half deficit.

"Week by week, I've been getting better," the 6-9 sophomore said. "I think it just a (matter of) more time to heal. I was anxious to get back."

"I don't think he's 100 percent yet, but he's closer to where he was before the injury," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

The only remaining member of the Wildcats' 1997 NCAA title team, who spent last season teaching kindergarten, wears Artis Gilmore-style hair and long socks to honor players of yesteryear. Edgerson has been growing his hair for three years.

"It's a respect thing," he said. "It is basically a tribute to all the guys who played in the '60s, '70s and '80s. I have fun with it. And you all have fun with it, too."