Upset knocks top-seeded Blue Devils out of the mix

The AssociatedPress

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Duke won't go back-to-back again. Indiana is back, plain and simple. And Jason Williams' college career ends on a sour note.

With a never-give-up rally and a wild ending, Indiana produced an upset as stunning as any in the Hoosiers' hoops history.

After chipping away at a deficit that was as big as 17 points, fifth-seeded Indiana took advantage of another miss by Williams at the foul line to beat the defending national champion Blue Devils 74-73 in the South Regional semifinals Thursday night.

"We messed up a lot of brackets," Indiana coach Mike Davis said. "Just tear 'em up, throw 'em away."

Top-seeded Duke had a chance to tie it with 4.2 seconds left when Williams -- a unanimous All-American -- was fouled as he made a long 3-pointer to get the Blue Devils within a point. But he missed the free throw, and Carlos Boozer couldn't convert a follow shot.

"I'm not stunned," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said after his team's eight-game NCAA tourney winning streak ended. "I'm 55 and I need a hip replaced. I coach a game where I know we can lose every time we go on the court."

Indiana (23-11) makes it first trip to a regional final since Bob Knight took them to the final eight in 1993. The Hoosiers will play Kent State --which defeatedPittsburgh in overtime --with a chance to move on to the Final Four.

It was the most significant victory of Davis' tenure, which began when Knight was fired in 2000. Davis has had to deal with the pressure of succeeding a coach who won three national titles in a state that treats basketball as religion.

"I am going to ask for a raise," Davis said, joking. "I am trying to walk in the right spirit, and when you do that you have to let some things roll off your shoulders. It's my job to put a product on the court that Indiana fans can be proud of. It's my job to make sure that my guys play hard for 40 minutes."