After Duke men's basketball games, check back here for the Player of the Game and more. It was a narrow victory for the Blue Devils, who came through late against the Demon Deacons, and the Blue Zone breaks down the game:
One player: Mason Gillis
Graduate student Mason Gillis stepped up for Duke on Saturday night, making major contributions with 11 points and six rebounds. With Maliq Brown still out due to injury and Khaman Maluach and Patrick Ngongba on the bench with foul trouble, the Blue Devils needed someone to fill the void — and Gillis did just that. His biggest impact came from beyond the arc. In the final minutes before the buzzer, Gillis drained two crucial triples, giving Duke the breathing room it needed to relax and close out the game.
Beyond the box score, Gillis' veteran presence and leadership were invaluable in a game where every possession mattered. He brought a sense of stability to an unfamiliar 2-3 zone defense and helped guide the freshmen on the floor, showing them that everything would be alright.
One word: Zone
The switch to a 2-3 zone defense seemed like a last attempt to salvage the game from head coach Jon Scheyer. Despite playing zone defense only once all season, the Blue Devils turned to it in the final seven minutes. This defensive switch forced Wake Forest into numerous uncomfortable shots and held them to 2-for-10 shooting from the field after the change. Although a similar maneuver by Scheyer failed last season against the Deacons, this shift allowed Duke to lock down defensively and fuel a 17-4 run, erasing any doubt about the quick change in style.
What makes the Blue Devils last minute comeback more impressive is that freshmen Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel have never played a zone defense before. The Blue Devils, despite their lack of practice, adapted well to a system they were hardly familiar with. Flagg’s presence in the paint made it nearly impossible for Wake Forest to get easy looks, while Knueppel’s length and defensive awareness on the perimeter disrupted the Demon Deacons’ rhythm. The duo, though young and untested in the zone, proved that they could handle unfamiliar scenes on the floor.
One stat: 28.1%
Duke’s shooting struggles were evident on Saturday night, as the Blue Devils posted their lowest-scoring outing of the season. Shooting a dismal 28.1% from 3-point range and just 36.8% from the field, Duke couldn’t find its rhythm offensively. Flagg notably struggled to get it together. The Blue Devil shot 1-of-6 from behind the arc, a woeful 16.7%. The team’s shooting struggles were compounded by an overall season-low point total, and it ended up committing more turnovers (16) than assists (14), a rare inefficiency.
Adding to the challenge, Duke played much of the game without key contributors Maluach and Ngongba, both of whom found themselves in foul trouble. With two of their primary players sidelined for stretches, the Blue Devils were forced to make adaptations and clutch plays to secure the win.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Sign up for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.