DUKE INSIDE LOOK: ANOTHER FOUR SCORE FOR DUKE FOR DEVILS, THIS IS A BLUE PERIOD.

Byline: Billy Witz Staff Writer

PHILADELPHIA - Almost as reliable as the swallows returning to San Juan Capistrano and the cherry blossoms blooming in Washington, Duke is back in the Final Four.

The top-ranked Blue Devils are headed to Minneapolis next week after a methodical 79-69 victory over USC in the East Regional final Saturday night at First Union Center.

Duke has turned a trip to the Final Four into a nearly annual rite of spring, advancing there for the ninth time in 16 years.

Still, Duke is so young - four of its top players, Jason Williams, Mike Dunleavy, Chris Duhon and Carlos Boozer are freshmen or sophomores - that many of them will be experiencing a Final Four for the first time.

Williams, voted the outstanding player at the East Regional after scoring a career-high 34 against UCLA on Thursday and adding a game-high 28 against USC, held up four fingers and then his index finger as he cut down the net.

``I put up the four fingers because we're going to the Final Four and I put up one finger because that's my dream - to be No. 1 when the (season) comes to an end.''

If Duke does win it all, it won't surprise the Trojans.

``They're physical in the scrappy sense,'' USC center Brian Scalabrine said. ``They've got a lot of UCLA in them, but with more purpose. These guys make you play all the time.

``You know what they're going to do, but you just can't stop it.''

The Blue Devils proved to be very good front-runners in winning the regional. Missouri, UCLA and USC each closed within three points or less around the 15-minute mark of the second half, but never could catch Duke.

``They know how to absorb a run and play through it,'' USC guard Jeff Trepagnier said. ``When teams make a run, they tend to go to Williams, who can take over.''

Shane Battier, who has won most national player-of-the-year awards, said winning a national championship would be the perfect ending to his career.

``It's my last time around,'' said Battier, whose No. 31 was retired at Duke's final home game. ``It's extremely special and I just told (Duhon) to enjoy it because a lot of people would pay a lot of money to change places with him.''

If Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was bored, he did well to hide it.

``I told my staff I was so excited before this game,'' Krzyzewski said. ``I was more excited than the players. Before the game, I told them to play their butts off. If this gets old, I should leave. It's extremely exciting and fulfilling.''

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Photo: It's become a familiar sight, watching Duke celebrate another trip to the Final Four.

Chris Gardner/Associated Press