CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — If Wendell Moore is feeling any lingering pain, or any ill will toward Clemson’s David Collins, neither was on display Saturday night.
Moore scored 14 points, including 11 in the second half, as No. 7 Duke defeated Boston College in an ACC basketball game at Conte Forum.
“These last two games Wendell’s done a heck of a job,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “He’s been in cold and hot tubs from that fall at Clemson. For him to be even playing at this level right now, it’s a hell of a thing for this kid. It’s a big time, big time thing for him.”
The Blue Devils junior forward and team captain played well at Boston College after taking a hard fall to the court during a scary play two nights earlier when Duke won, 82-64, at Clemson. As Moore dunked following a breakaway late in the first half, Collins undercut him by putting his shoulder into Moore’s hip. That knocked Moore sideways in the air, leaving him parallel to the court eight feet up, before he fell and landed on his back.
The game’s officials initially called an intentional foul and, after video review, upgraded it to an flagrant 2 foul that included an immediate ejection of Collins from the game. On Friday, the ACC suspended Collins for one game.
Moore stayed in the game after the incident, playing 33 minutes to score eight points and collect eight assists.
“Whether its a dirty play or a hard play, I’m not really gonna comment on that,” Moore said Saturday. “I’m not holding any grudges against him. He did what he had to do. He came over an apologized. I mean, we left it at that.”
Before Collins was escorted away from the court, Clemson coach Brad Brownell brought him over to the Duke bench when he offered an apology. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski embraced Brownell and twice hugged Collins, praising both of them after the game for showing such immediate contrition.
At the same time, Krzyzewski called it “one of the most dangerous plays I’ve ever seen.”
Despite that, Moore remained in the starting lineup for Duke (21-4, 11-3 ACC) on Saturday at Boston College, just as he’s been for every Blue Devils game this season. After scoring three points in the first half, he scored Duke’s first five points after halftime as the Blue Devils built a 15-point lead. Boston College scored seven points in a row to draw closer, but Moore hit a 3-pointer during Duke’s 11-0 that put the game away.
“He led us well,” Krzyzewski said. “You know, I thought his three of a second half to put us up double digits was one of the big buckets.”
He hit three of four 3-pointers in the second half, giving him four 3-pointers in the game.
“I’m doing well, really,” Moore said. “A couple of bumps and bruises. I got treatment around the clock the past two days.”
Collins, a senior guard from Tampa, Fla., who had started every game for Clemson this season, served his suspension Saturday night when visiting Notre Dame beat the Tigers, 76-61.
