Smith returns to No. 9 Duke’s lineup, scores career-high 24 in 101-59 rout of Charlotte

Smith helps No. 9 Duke rout Charlotte, 101-59

DURHAM, N.C. — Nolan Smith scored a career-high 24 points in his return to Duke’s lineup, and the ninth-ranked Blue Devils routed Charlotte 101-59 on Tuesday night in the second round of the NIT Season Tip-Off.

Jon Scheyer added 20 points and Kyle Singler had 17 for the Blue Devils (3-0), who never trailed, hit 12 3-pointers and shot 52.9 percent.

Duke went up by double figures to stay before Charlotte hit its first field goal and cruised into next week’s semifinal matchup at Madison Square Garden against the TCU-Arizona State winner.

Shamari Spears had 20 points to lead the overmatched 49ers (2-1). Sloppy play and 33.9 percent shooting kept them from their first 3-0 start since 1995 and denied them a second straight victory against a ranked opponent dating to last season’s win against then-No. 17 Xavier. They had 17 turnovers — 12 in the first half, when this one was decided.

Charlotte was expected to provide some measure of resistance for the Blue Devils, who were short-handed during their first two games due to injury and Smith’s suspension yet routed North Carolina-Greensboro and Coastal Carolina by an average of nearly 30 points.

But with Smith back in the lineup after sitting out two games for playing in an unsanctioned summer league, Duke had little trouble claiming its NCAA-record 71st straight nonconference victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium and 31st consecutive home win against an unranked opponent.

Smith seemed determined to make up for lost time. He reeled off eight quick points in just more than 3 minutes, surpassed his previous best — a 21-point outing at Wake Forest two seasons ago as a freshman — roughly 8 minutes into the second half and finished 9 for 15.

Meanwhile, Charlotte’s offense at times resembled a one-man show. Spears, a transfer from Boston College who was no stranger to the Cameron Crazies, had his second straight 20-point performance as a 49er. But none of his teammates had more than six points — a big reason why Charlotte was denied its first victory against a top 10 team since 2004.

Miles Plumlee added 15 points and 11 rebounds and Brian Zoubek added 13 boards for the Blue Devils, who made the first half look like one 20-minute-long burst of dominance.

They went up 14-2 before the 49ers’ first basket — Rashad Coleman hit a layup roughly 3½ minutes in — as part of the 20-6 burst they used to begin the game. By the midpoint of the half, they were up by 20 on Scheyer’s 3-pointer in transition, and pushed the lead to 30 on Singler’s finger-roll with 3½ minutes before the break.

The only negative in the first half for Duke would up being wiped out by a scoring change: Scheyer originally was charged with his only turnover of the season in 103 minutes — but after a postgame review, that giveaway instead was given to Smith.