Duke 56, Davidson 46 (3:57, second half): Davidson's defensive intensity is up, but Duke has the momentum and is finding ways to score through the tough defense. Ryan Kelly has taken the scoring onus for the Blue Devils, putting in 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field. Meanwhile, Mason Plumlee is in foul trouble with four personals, adding more frustration to an already tough game for the senior forward. Duke, who has put Davidson in the bonus, will need to keep the Wildcats off the free throw line in order to secure a win in this tight game.
Duke 52, Davidson 42 (6:24, second half): Davidson's offense is finally showing signs of life, slowly starting to chip into Duke's lead. Mason Plumlee on the other end had consecutive baskets to keep Duke's lead in double figures, giving him eight on the night. Coming into the game Plumlee's season-low was 16 points. Jake Cohen, despite his foul trouble, is leading the Wildcats in scoring with 11 points, adding six rebounds and a blocked shot.
Duke 45, Davidson 31 (11:10, second half): The three-ball has started to fall for Duke, with both Ryan Kelly and Tyler Thornton connecting from deep. The defensive intensity has been improved for the Blue Devils as well, although the team has committed five team fouls early in the half. Mason Plumlee is still out of sorts on offense, recording more turnovers (five) than points (four). Defensively however, Plumlee has excelled, blocking three shots and collecting two steals.
Duke 35, Davidson 29 (15:47, second half): It took Mason just over a minute to match his shot attempts from the first half, and he caused Jake Cohen to pick up his third personal foul while doing so. Despite Mason's increased usage, Duke still hasn't gotten into a groove offensively, forcing shots and failing to get good looks at the rim. Luckily for the Blue Devils, Davidson hasn't been any better to start the second half, failing to score in the first four-plus minutes of the period.
Duke 29, Davidson 29 (Halftime): Ryan Kelly is taking over the scoring void left by Mason Plumlee, who only took two shots in the first half. Kelly has shown his prowess from both inside and out tonight, hitting 2-of-3 from beyond the arc as well as a shot from the paint to give him 11 on the night. You can be sure that head coach Mike Krzyzewski is giving his team an ear-full in the locker room. The Blue Devils have nine turnovers compared to one assist, and have surrendered nine offensive rebounds. Davidson is shooting a pitiful 32.4 percent from the floor, but has attempted an 12 more shots than the Blue Devils thanks to offensive rebounds, which has helped them stay even with Duke. De'Mon Brooks is leading the way for the Wildcats with six points, eight rebounds -- three offensive -- and a steal and a block.
Duke 24, Davidson 22 (3:51, 1st half): After struggling against Santa Clara, Rasheed Sulaimon has insisted on being a star tonight for Duke. Sulaimon leads the team with eight points and has added four rebounds, though that hasn't helped stop Davidson's offensive rebounding output. Mason Plumlee still can't get things going, making his only shot from the field, but turning the ball over four times, just two times fewer than the entire Wildcat team.
Duke 19, Davidson 18 (7:27, 1st half): Turnovers continue to bedevil Duke, who now have five turnovers compared to zero assists thus far. Rasheed Sulaimon has gotten to the line early on -- he's 4-for-4 -- and he's also added three rebounds. After failing to get off the bench against Santa Clara, Amile Jefferson is on the floor for Duke and playing his usual energetic brand of basketball. Davidson's De'Mon Brooks is hurting Duke on the glass. He has six tonight.
Duke 11, Davidson 14 (11:35, 1st half): Slow starts are becoming a bad habit for the Blue Devils. Curry has struggled from the field early and the team has turned the ball over frequently. Most surprising, Mason Plumlee has yet to attempt a field goal, though he has two rebounds. After shooting the ball well the past few games, Duke has yet to hit a three tonight, instead scoring by getting into the paint. Davidson's lead can be attributed to its eight second chance points. As a team the Wildcats have four offensive rebounds already.
Duke 7, Davidson 8 (15:02, 1st half): Seth Curry was the focal point of the offense early on, taking the team's first three shots, but making only one. Jake Cohen, the Wildcats' 6-foot-10 stretch-4, picked up two quick fouls and was relegated to the bench, increasing Duke's size advantage. Neither team has had a great start offensively, as defense has been strong on both sides.
Projected Starters:
Duke: Quinn Cook, Seth Curry, Rasheed Sulaimon, Ryan Kelly, Mason Plumlee
Davidson: Nik Cochran, JP Kuhlman, Chris Czerapowicz, De'Mon Brooks, Jake Cohen
Here are some pregame notes:
- Seth Curry had himself a monster week. After scoring a career-high 31 against Santa Clara, Curry was named ACC player of the week. Then, Curry was named a co-captain, joining fellow seniors Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee
- For Duke, this is the team's final non-conference game, and the team's first game outside of Cameron Indoor Stadium since December 8 against Temple. The game is being played in Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, NC.
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