In the aftermath of the greatest three-point shooting barrage in school history, the focus of the men's basketball team was still defense, defense, defense.
Duke's incredible offensive statistics from Saturday night's 80-51 win over N.C. State would impress even NBA three-point shooting champion Steve Kerr. The Blue Devils broke the school record for three-pointers made in a game, shooting an incredible 15-of-23 from long range. This included a stretch, carrying over from the first half to the second, during which they made 13-of-14 from behind the arc. Seven players hit threes, led by Steve Wojciechowski, Ricky Price and Trajan Langdon, each of whom went 3-of-5.
Although they knew consciously that they were taking open shots, the Blue Devils failed to recognize during the game just how many of their shots were falling.
"We felt like we were getting good looks," senior Jeff Capel said. "I really had no idea that we were just hitting all of the shots like that. We were just taking the open shots."
Tremendous results from three-point range have become the norm for Duke of late, as it has hit over 39 percent from long distance in each of its last eight games. The shooting success seems to have become contagious, as members of the team who seemed to have lost their shooting touch early this season, such as Price and Capel, have come alive lately.
With all of the heroics from three-point land, Duke's defense in recent games has been equally impressive. The Blue Devils held the Wolfpack to 37.3 percent shooting from the floor for the night, including 9-of-27 in the first half. The Duke defense held senior Jeremy Hyatt, N.C. State's second leading scorer, to an 0-of-10 shooting night. In addition to obstructing the Wolfpack's shots, Duke forced 17 N.C. State turnovers and made 10 steals.
Despite their recent offensive success, the Blue Devils realize that at some point, their shooting might slow down. Even if that happens, the hard-nosed, pressure defense displayed Saturday night will carry the team through potential rough spots.
"We see the ball going through the hoop, but our concentration is on the defensive end, and I think that's why we're getting better as a team, because our focus is defensively," Langdon said. "Whatever happens on the offensive end, we want to get good shots and knock them down. If it goes through, great, but if it doesn't go through, we're thinking the same way going down the other end of the floor. We're just trying to stop teams from scoring. If teams don't score, they can't win."
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has depended on defensive pressure to help define his rotations as he attempts to find minutes for 11 players. With nearly every player hitting his shots, a player's performance on the defensive end will determine his playing time.
"I think Coach is in a position where he can go with players who are playing well and who can give the team a boost," Price said. "Nate [James] and Carmen [Wallace] came in and rebounded the ball and played great defense. When people do that, I mean, they have to be on the court."
Duke's defensive performances have improved as the season has progressed, and Saturday's win provided yet another chance to showcase that improvement. The team believes that to go deep into the postseason, it cannot allow any defensive lapses.
"I think different people are identifying their roles and knowing what they need to do as they step out on the floor," Langdon said. "As the season goes along, you're going to get more comfortable with each other, but one thing that has got to stay consistent is our defensive effort. I think we're doing a good job of that, and that's what's making us better."
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