Coming off its dominant 100-65 win against Florida State, Duke men’s basketball welcomes Wake Forest back in Cameron Indoor Stadium for its last home game of the 2024-25 season. The Blue Zone previews the encounter:
Overview
2023-24 record: 21-14, 11-9 in the ACC
2024-25 record: 20-9, 12-6 in the ACC
Head coach: Steve Forbes
History: Duke leads 97-46
Last meeting: 63-56 Duke, Jan. 25, 2025
The Blue Devils have a quick turnaround before their second matchup of the season with Wake Forest, coming off a dominant 100-65 victory against Florida State Saturday night. The final home game of the campaign will come as the return trip of the home-and-home series with the Demon Deacons. The contest in Winston-Salem saw the Blue Devils build a large first-half lead before ultimately outlasting a fierce Wake Forest comeback attempt.
Steve Forbes’ contingent has had some high and low points since the January loss to Duke; it most recently squeezed out a 74-71 victory against Notre Dame, stopping a two-game skid that placed it squarely into bubble conversations. The Demon Deacons will be looking to secure a signature victory in Cameron Indoor Stadium to boost them over the cut line and into their first NCAA tournament since 2017. The Blue Devils, meanwhile, continue their quest for the top seed in the upcoming ACC tournament.
Duke will likely once again be without veteran leader Tyrese Proctor and elite defender Maliq Brown, as the two key contributors continue to nurse their injuries. Brown missed the first game against Wake Forest as he rehabbed from a knee sprain, and will likely also be unable to go this time around as he works his way back from a shoulder injury suffered at Virginia. Regardless, the Blue Devils have shown the ability to dominate while missing key cogs throughout the season, and they will still be heavily favored when the Demon Deacons come to town despite the noted absences.
3 keys
Shut down Sallis: The key to watch anytime Duke matches up against Wake Forest is point guard Hunter Sallis. The Omaha, Neb., native tormented the Blue Devils a year ago, tallying over 20 points in both of the regular-season matchups between the two sides. Duke was more successful in stopping Sallis in the first go-around this year. The senior scored just 12 points on relatively inefficient shooting as he struggled to build a rhythm and find open looks.
However, the notable difference between that contest and Monday’s is the aforementioned absence of Proctor. While the Sydney native struggled offensively in the first matchup, he is an excellent on-ball defender and was a key contributor to holding Sallis in check. Without their junior point guard, the Blue Devils will need to adjust and other guards like Sion James will need to step up to limit Sallis’ offensive firepower.
Smart shots, smooth offense: Despite leading 35-22 at halftime and looking to cruise to victory, Duke went stagnant in the second half of the late-January matchup and failed to muster up much of anything on the offensive end of the floor. It was a truly miserable offensive showing; 16 total turnovers, 36.8% from the floor and a stretch of 1-of-19 on field goals to start the second half allowed Wake Forest to climb back into the game and test the Blue Devils.
In recent weeks, Duke has settled into an unprecedented offensive rhythm. It has scored at least 97 points in four of the last five games, leaving only scorched earth behind as it cruises toward postseason play. A strong showing against the Demon Deacons could prove that the first matchup between the squads was an exception to the rule and that the Blue Devils are prepared for the remainder of March.
Depth development: With Proctor and Brown missing time, head coach Jon Scheyer has turned further down his bench to look for productive minutes and positive contributions. With freshman sharpshooter Isaiah Evans moving into the starting lineup, sophomore guard Caleb Foster has been forced back into the rotation after his midseason struggles found him on the end of the bench. Additionally, freshman guard Darren Harris played a career-high 17 minutes in the win against Florida State and contributed with impressive drives and strong rebounds. Continuing to develop this depth in the rotation could prove useful further down the road or even into future seasons.
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