With 20.9 seconds left and a win all but in the books, head coach Mike Krzyzewski took Gerald Henderson out of the game to congratulate him on what he called the junior's best game as a Blue Devil.
Just seconds later, after Jon Scheyer sank his second free throw to give Duke an 11-point lead, Krzyzewski also pulled Scheyer to recognize the virtuoso performance he had just given.
It was the historic showings of the two Blue Devil juniors-particularly on the offensive end-that propelled Duke to victory on a night when it needed every point against an almost equally-explosive Wake Forest team.
"G and Jon had signature games," Krzyzewski said.
Henderson led all scorers with 35 points--a career high-on 11-of-15 shooting from the field and 12-of-14 from the foul line. Scheyer wasn't too far behind with 30 points of his own, also a career high, including five 3-pointers. Their combined 65 points was a Cameron Indoor Stadium record and marked the first time in Krzyzewski's tenure that two players have scored 30 points in the same game. Henderson also moved past associate head coach Chris Collins into 50th place on Duke's all-time scoring list.
And the duo scored their points at crucial junctures for the Blue Devils, as the two factored in what Krzyzewski called the three most critical plays of the game.
With Duke nursing a 80-78 lead with just more than seven minutes remaining, Scheyer drew a foul on a 3-pointer and knocked down all three free throws to make it a two-possession game.
"That was a huge play because it gave us a five-point lead," Krzyzewski said. "You lose the lead in a game like this, you might lose the game."
Both players also hit from long range with the shot clock expiring late in the game, including a fadeaway three by Henderson that seemed to suck the life out of the Demon Deacons.
"That was lucky," Henderson said. "I haven't made a three off the dribble in weeks. It went in-I'll take it."
"The one three as the shot clock was winding down, we're right in his face," Wake Forest head coach Dino Gaudio said. "Big time players make those shots. He's a pro."
Henderson also displayed his professional-worthy athleticism in the first half, bringing down the house with three dunks on five possessions, highlighted by a one-handed slam to give Duke a 20-point lead on a pass from none other than Scheyer.
Scheyer, in addition to his scoring exploits, led the team in assists as he thrived in his role as the primary ball-handler. In his past two games leading the offense, the guard has committed just one turnover, which came on a moving screen violation.
After the game, Scheyer also deferred to his teammates, giving his most effusive praise to his co-star.
"There's nobody in the country that can attack the rim like Gerald can," Scheyer said. "In the open court, halfcourt, he's someone that can create his own shot, create shots for other people. I was very proud of him tonight. He was just great throughout the game."
Henderson may be Duke's star-and he has led the team to victory on numerous occasions-but Sunday's game made it clear that the Blue Devils will need strong performances from their other stars, as well, in order to compete with the best teams in the country.
And on this one historic night, Scheyer and Henderson showed how dominant Duke can be when two players are at their best.
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