DURHAM, N.C. - Shots clanged off the rim, passes went astray and bodies fell all over the court.

Nothing was very pretty during the first half of the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for Duke and Clemson, a rough 20 minutes of play that left the sixth-ranked Blue Devils with a 24-19 lead.

"It was ugly," Duke guard J.J. Redick said. "We want to play pretty, we want to get up-and-down, we want to score 90 points. But that's what you can expect from a league game."

Redick had 20 of his 24 points in the second half and his teammates bounced back, too, helping Duke rally past Clemson 62-54 Sunday night.

Shelden Williams finished with 13 points and 16 rebounds for the Blue Devils (9-0), who won their 18th straight over the Tigers. The previous victories were by an average margin of 17 points, but this one was close throughout, mostly because of the absence of Duke forwards Shavlik Randolph and Reggie Love.

Randolph is out indefinitely with mononucleosis, and his replacement, Love, left in the first half with what coach Mike Krzyzewski called a possible broken foot. That left the Blue Devils dangerously thin up front, and the Tigers (9-4) took advantage.