COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The last shot J.J. Redick took in Duke’s 71-70 upset of North Carolina Wednesday night wasn’t just your ordinary run-of-the-mill air ball. It was an ugly-looking fling that was more right of the rim than Pat Buchanan, missing the backboard and dropping into a suddenly silent Duke crowd.
After trailing for most the game, North Carolina had 18.2 seconds to steal a win in Cameron Indoor Stadium. So why was Redick sitting at his locker after the game wearing a smile Joan Rivers would envy?
“This is the happiest I’ve been, probably in my life,” said Redick. “I have great relationships on the team with the coaches, with my family. I have great friends at Duke. I have a beautiful girlfriend. And basketball’s pretty darn fun, too.”
It’s enough to make you dislike the kid – which basketball fans around ACC, if not the country, certainly do.
Last night Duke and Redick played at the school that despises them the most: Maryland. The Terrapins (15-7 overall, 6-5 in the ACC) became the first team in 10 years to sweep an ACC series from Duke with a 99-92 overtime win last night in the Comcast Center.
In a 75-66 win in January, Maryland held Redick to 7-of-21 shooting and – more importantly – sent the NCAA’s all-time best foul shooter (Redick has made 93.8 percent, 361-of-385, of his free throws) to the line just three times. Last night he got 21 but needed 19 shots.
“Before [Redick] got to Duke they were calling him the best shooter in ACC history, which I felt you had to prove,” said Maryland coach Gary Williams. “He proved that, but he didn’t stop there.”
“He worked on putting the ball on the floor,” Williams added. “Then he worked on putting the ball in with his left hand. If you foul him, it’s two points. If you don’t get out on him, it’s three.”
Redick had a storybook start to his college career. He played in the NCAA championship game as a freshman and was a 1,000-point scorer by the end of his sophomore season.
And yet, Redick was displeased.
“I have very high expectations for myself, sometimes unrealistic expectations,” said Redick. “My freshman year I set these goals: shoot 45 percent on 3’s; 90 percent from the line; ACC rookie of the year; All-ACC honors. I made two of those and wasn’t happy.
“After the past two years when I felt disappointed, I started setting goals I could control. I can’t set a goal that’s a subjective thing such as, ‘I hope the media picks me first-team ACC.’ That’s not a goal of mine. My goal is to play hard every day; to do extra work; to get enough sleep.”
Redick lost 25 pounds since last season, making him quicker. He started dating the beautiful Katie Crowe in September. His goals are attainable. As he said, he’s the happiest he’s ever been.
“He’s Derek Jeter with a jump shot,” said Duke assistant coach Mike Jarvis II. “He brings it every day.”
Derek Jeter with a jump shot; no wonder Redick is happy.