After lacking intensity in a loss Sunday to Pittsburgh, No. 17 Duke overcame a poor shooting night to defeat Wake Forest 79-71. The Blue Devils will play their regular-season finale Saturday against No. 8 North Carolina
Three Keys to the Game
- Diversify the offensive attack: Despite taking 20 threes and showing a reliance on finding shots from beyond the arc, Duke made a more concentrated effort to develop the inside game that was missing against Pittsburgh. Marshall Plumlee’s 13 points were a testament to the Blue Devils’ active search for better shots down low as well as on the perimeter, where the team finished a respectable 40 percent from three.
- Look out for the extra pass: Duke had no problem taking advantage of the lazy passes from the Wake Forest offense, coming away with 12 steals and forcing 18 turnovers. Luke Kennard stole an inbound from the Demon Deacon baseline, Brandon Ingram stole a Devin Thomas pass thrown right at his back and Grayson Allen made several well-timed reaches in the paint to tap the ball away and create transition offense for Duke.
- Hammer the glass: After being dominated on the glass by the Panthers Sunday, the Blue Devils rebounded by being far more effective on the glass, especially the offensive glass. Plumlee finished with a career-high 17 rebounds, seven of which came on the offensive end of the floor. In general, Duke kept the rebounding battle close, ultimately falling to Wake Forest 42-41. But considering the size and depth the Demon Deacons possess down low with Thomas and big man Konstantinos Mitoglou, 41 rebounds was quite an accomplishment and enough to create the second-chance opportunities the Blue Devils desperately needed.
Three Key Plays
- 5:47 remaining, first half: After Ingram used his length to tap the ball away from Doral Moore, the ball ended up in Kennard’s hands before the freshman guard found Allen in transition. Allen finished the play emphatically, elevating for a one-handed slam that stretched the Duke lead to six and forced Wake Forest to use a timeout.
- 15:49 remaining, second half: After trading baskets to start the half and falling behind by one, the Blue Devils relied on an offensive rebound following an Ingram miss to find Jones for a three from the left side of the key. Duke happened to be fortunate on this possession as the ball fell just off of the rim into Jones’ hands, and the DeSoto, Texas, native was able to take advantage.
- 10:12 remaining, second half: Still struggling to put the Demon Deacons away, Allen pulled up from behind the 3-point line and simply buried the shot with his defender draped all over time. The shot broke a 56-56 tie and gave the Blue Devils a lead they would not relinquish.
Three Key Stats
- Blue Devils shoot 29-percent from the floor in the first half: Despite playing a strong game all around in the first half, Duke simply had trouble hitting shots. Ingram was the main victim of the team's struggles from the field as his usual brand of baseline drives and post-up hook shots seemed to come up short every time against a bigger Wake Forest lineup.
- Four Demon Deacons finish in double-figures: The Blue Devils have struggled defensively in the interior at times this season, and given Wake Forest’s depth at the forward and center positions, the impact was evident. Not only did Plumlee and Jones foul out late, but the Demon Deacons collected 34 points in the paint. The Blue Devils need to ratchet up the defensive intensity before once again taking on the star frontcourt duo of Brice Johnson and Kennedy Meeks Saturday.
- Duke converts 25-of-38 attempts from the free-throw line: Given that good shots were tough to come by in offensive sets and the team couldn't buy a shot for much of the first 20 minutes, the Blue Devils decided to once again lean on finding free points at the free-throw line. The Blue Devils lived in the bonus in the second half and took advantage of converting the front end of their one-and-ones on multiple occasions. Allen's aggressiveness attacking the basket paid off as he knocked down 14 of his 19 free-throw attempts.
And the Duke game ball goes to… Grayson Allen
The sophomore was the sparkplug for the Blue Devils and put the team's offense on his back. Allen collected 30 points, five assists and a career-high five steals in the team's win. Despite struggling from the floor like the rest of the Blue Devils, the guard found his stroke down the stretch and capitalized on his opportunities from the foul line. Allen has had the most success this season when he drives to the hoop and takes shots close to the basket or draws fouls easily down the stretch to put the game away. The ACC Player of the Year candidate also added a signature tomahawk dunk in the second half to reenergize Cameron Indoor Stadium.
And the Wake Forest game ball goes to... Devin Thomas
The senior was all over the floor and gave Duke fits down just as he did in the team's first matchup with the Blue Devils. Thomas finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds and even five assists as the Demon Deacons offense revolved around the big man. Thomas was able to score at will with his back to the basket, on pick-and-pop jumpers and even a couple times in transition. Not only was Thomas efficient as he shot 7-of-11 from the floor, but he also didn't back down from the challenge of leading Wake Forest on the road against an opponent looking to make a statement .
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