By BRIAN HEYMAN
The (Westchester, N.Y.) Journal News

St. John's Marcus Hatten is fouled by Duke's Daniel Ewing as the final buzzer sounded at Madison Square Garden. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

NEW YORK - Marcus Hatten walked to the line, 19,610 fans in a frenzy at Madison Square Garden, tie game, 0:00 overhead, a possible stunning upset knockout of heavyweight Duke in his hands. And suddenly he had this vision of a kid in Baltimore, shooting free throws at his grandma's basket. Now that was pressure.

"There you're shooting and trying not to break a window or hit her in the head," Hatten said. "So if I can do that and not break a window and hit her and then come here and shoot in front of 19,000, I thought that was easier than shooting at her house."

The St. John's star had two shots. He only needed one for point No. 29. Then he disappeared in a mob of teammates, cheerleaders and supporters storming the court. The struggling Red Storm, ready to run through a wall after a fiery pregame pep talk from New York Jets coach Herman Edwards, had rallied from 11 down with four minutes left Sunday to take down the sixth-ranked Blue Devils 72-71.

So they stopped their four-game losing streak and edged back over .500 at 13-12 with two games to go until the Big East Tournament, hoping now that this first win over a ranked team in five tries will give them the confidence and momentum they need to salvage some sort of post-season bid.

"It's been an up-and-down season," Hatten said. "We never quit on each other, though."

Hatten jumps into the arms of Anthony Glover and Grady Reynolds after nailing the game-winning free throw. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who had a 26-game, regular-season, non-conference winning streak snapped, saluted the embattled Mike Jarvis and his players for the effort. With this victory, Jarvis became the only active Division I coach and the sixth in history with 100 wins at three schools.

"I know he's been under pressure," Krzyzewski said. "I don't understand why. So for them I think it was great. He's a hell of a coach and a great friend, and his kids played their hearts out."

No one did it better than Hatten, the senior guard, playing on a badly bruised left thigh.

"He's a warrior," Duke guard Chris Duhon said.

Duhon and the 20-5 Blue Devils couldn't score after taking a 71-60 edge with 4:05 left thanks to a 23-12 burst.

Still, there they were, playing for the last shot in a 71-71 game. Daniel Ewing had the ball just inside the midcourt line.

"I just stuck my hand in there and came out with a pot of gold," Hatten said.

Hatten said he knew he had about four seconds left to get the stolen gold up to the basket. He drove and missed, and Anthony Glover slammed in the rebound after the buzzer. But Ewing had fouled Hatten. Krzyzewski thought Hatten had fouled Ewing on the steal.

"The spirits of the Garden took over in the last 10 seconds," Krzyzewski said.

The comeback began with a short bank by Glover, cutting it to 71-62. Duhon turned it over, and Hatten drove for two. Ewing got stuffed by Eric King, and the ball turned over on a shot-clock violation. Then Hatten swished a 3 from the right side. Ewing lost the ball out of bounds. Then Glover swished a 3, and it was 71-70 with 1:49 left.

Kyle Cuffe turned in 1 of 2 from the line to tie it with 1:30 to go after J.J. Redick missed a 3 for Duke and Dahntay Jones hacked Cuffe on the rebound try. Jones fouled out at that point with 23 points.

From there, Duhon missed a running fling, and Hatten missed a couple of jumpers. But he made up for it, and the Red Storm were giant killers.

Credit an assist to another of Jarvis' coaching friends - Edwards.

"We've got a lot in common, like coaching here in New York and living here," Jarvis said. "We want to support each other."

A couple of Jarvis' assistants knew Edwards was at the game, so they asked the St. John's coach about bringing Edwards' mighty motivational voice into the locker room. Good move.

"I was ready to go into my pocket and pull out some cash and threw it in the hat for him," Jarvis said. "You talk about a preacher. Oh, he was good."

"He just told us to go out and fight and leave it out there on the floor," Hatten said.

Edwards, decked in a red sweater and red cap, sat a few rows behind the Red Storm bench with St. John's legends Lou Carnesecca and Chris Mullin.

"You definitely play to win the game," Edwards said, smiling afterward at an old theme. "The way they handled themselves when they were down by 11, 12 points, kept their composure, kept fighting, and before you know it, they win the game by one point."