Updated 4:44 p.m.

DURHAM -- After Duke finished going through the motions in the second half of its discomforting 83-76 win over St. John’s on Saturday afternoon, its locker room was almost as somber as it was last week when the Blue Devils lost to Florida State.

There are times when a win is not a win.

“We did enough to win, which almost makes me sick to say that,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “I hate saying that we did enough to win. That’s not who I am, and it’s not who this program is. We don’t do enough to win – we play really good basketball, and then hopefully we win. …

St. John’s 93-78 win over Duke on Sunday was an uplifting event for a former national power that has lost a lot of steam. The Red Storm hardly is an isolated case on that front.

NEW YORK – Duke freshman wing Elliot Williams pushed out toward halfcourt against Quincy Roberts of St. John’s, who couldn’t find an open teammate as he dribbled under pressure.

The referee’s whistle blew and was followed by cheers from Duke’s bench. This, more than the 11 points Williams contributed in a 76-69 win at Madison Square Garden, is what the No. 9-ranked Blue Devils were seeking from their lineup change Thursday.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski put Williams in the starting lineup for just the second time this season, sending senior Greg Paulus to the bench after Duke (21-5) lost two games in a row. Jon Scheyer, who ordinarily starts at shooting guard, began the game at point guard.