Singler to return to national champs

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DURHAM, N.C. -- Kyle Singler, voted the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, announced Monday that he will return to national champion Duke for his senior season.

“

I had two great options in front of me, but I did not want to miss out on all of the great things to come in a senior season.

” -- Duke's Kyle Singler

Singler scored 19 points as Duke beat Butler 61-59 to win its fourth national championship and finish 35-5. He averaged 17.7 points, seven rebounds and 2.4 assists in his junior season, and had 17 games with 20 or more points while posting seven double-doubles.

"I love being here at Duke and am excited about next year," Singler said in a statement released by the university. "I had two great options in front of me, but I did not want to miss out on all of the great things to come in a senior season."

A first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection, Singler's 1,767 career points rank as third most by a junior in school history. In three seasons in Durham, his averages are 15.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He is a three-time All-ACC selection.

"I am looking forward to coaching Kyle in his senior year and seeing him develop more as a player and as a leader," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement.

Singler became one of 18 players in Duke history to score more than 700 points in a season, finishing with 707.

Singler, senior Jon Scheyer and junior Nolan Smith made up the nation's most productive trio last season, combining to average more than 53 points.

Singler's NBA draft stock seemed to rise considerably with his impressive NCAA tournament. He scored at least 20 points in three of Duke's six victories -- getting 24 in a regional semifinal win over Purdue and 21 in the Final Four against West Virginia before finishing with 19 in the title game against Butler.

After playing both inside and outside during his first two seasons, he spent almost all of his time on the perimeter last season and shot nearly 40 percent from 3-point range.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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