By MIKE LOPRESTI
Gannett News Service

SAN ANTONIO - Three minutes from the national championship game, Duke ran out of bodies, and mystique.

Duke's Sean Dockery, right, and Connecticut's Emeka Okafor battle for a loose ball in the second half. (AP photo)

And so it was on this ragged Saturday night that Connecticut went on a 12-0 run with its survival at stake to blow past Duke 79-78 and into Monday night's title game against Georgia Tech.

Down 75-67 with 3:28 to go, the Huskies had just enough Emeka Okafor to get by. Battling foul trouble - like nearly every Duke big man on the floor - Okafor, who scored all 18 of his points in the second half, put Connecticut ahead 76-75 with a rebound basket with 25 seconds left.

"The whole country probably thought we were out of it except us," Okafor said. "That was the season on the line, a whole lot of hopes and dreams."

The Huskies had not been in front since blowing a 15-4 lead in the first half, but they were ahead to stay. Three free throws kept them safe.

Duke's last chances ended with J.J. Redick missing a 3-pointer, and later having the ball stripped away by Rashad Anderson as he tried to drive. With no foul called, it brought Mike Krzyzewski to his feet in a rage, a common sight on both benches in a game that had 44 fouls and 53 free throws.

Perhaps there is a secret to demystifying Duke, and staring down the Krzyzewski Empire.

If so, Jim Calhoun knows it. This is his fourth straight win over Duke, the second on the big stage, to go with the 1999 national championship game.

"I think it showed mental toughness to beat a team like Duke," said Connecticut's Ben Gordon. "They're not going to lose. You have to beat them."

The Blue Devils crashed under the weight of enormous foul trouble with their big men, trying to deal with Okafor.

Shelden Williams was gone with 5:04 left, Shavlik Randolph with 3:15 to go, Nick Horvath soon after that. Connecticut had managed to wipe out Duke's entire post population.

With no inside presence, Duke was left with nothing but a perimeter game the last precious minutes, and the Connecticut defense attacked accordingly. The Blue Devils' only points the last 3:27 was Chris Duhon's 3-pointer at the buzzer, which only made it close.

There is no such thing as an ugly victory now. Not when it means a spot in the national championship game.

So Connecticut's 18 turnovers were beautiful. Its spotty free throw shooting was gorgeous.

Gordon added 18 points, Josh Boone 14 rebounds and Anderson three crucial 3-pointers in the second half. Luol Deng led Duke with 16.

It was a raw game with rough edges, born of clawing defense, slashing offense, and unsteady officiating. Whistles blew and bodies flew, and much of the night melted into turnovers and foul trouble.

Duke missed 13 of its first 14 shots to fall behind 15-4. Connecticut had 11 turnovers by halftime, including four straight possessions, as the Blue Devils blew past for a 41-34 halftime lead.

With 15:22 left in the game, Duke already had two big men with four fouls - Williams and Randolph - and two other players with three.

And Okafor had played only eight of the first 24 minutes because of three fouls.

"I had a frustrating first half," Okafor said. "I wasn't even in there. Guys said the second half was gonna be a time to dominate. Come the second half, we rallied and played hard."

So it had turned into a battle of will and attrition.

It was not hard to find reasons for Duke's halftime lead. The Blue Devils had scored 30 points in the paint, 17 off turnovers, and 12 on second chances.

Connecticut's trouble had started with two whistles.

Okafor picked up two fouls the first four minutes - the second one sending Calhoun storming down the sideline at official Ted Hillary and Okafor to the bench for the rest of the first half.

The Duke lead grew as large as 34-24 in the first half after a Redick 3-pointer. The Huskies had scored nine points in 10 1/2 minutes. But Calhoun resisted any temptation to call on Okafor.

He was kept safe for the second half rally that would have to be made. He played only 22 minutes. Just enough.