Then and Now: How has Duke Men’s Basketball changed since the first game against Wake Forest?

Then and Now: How has Duke Men’s Basketball changed since the first game against Wake Forest?

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Before Duke’s home-court showdown against Wake Forest on Tuesday night, the Blue Zone will see the final matchup between the teams and preview what’s next.

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shooting trouble

As has been the case for most of the year, the Blue Devils struggled to get the job done behind the arc in their first matchup against Wake Forest. Star freshman center Kyle Filipowski went cold on six attempts. It’s fair to assume that some of these trays might have made a difference in a game that Duke lost by 11 points to him.

Strength decrease

Duke was forced to play its first matchup against Wake Forest without coveted freshmen Darik Whitehead and Derek Lively II. The Philadelphia native Lively is currently averaging 1.9 blocks per game, and the team could only manage 2 blocks against Daemon his Deacon. Additionally, junior guard Jeremy Roach recently returned after missing Duke’s game against the Eastern Shores of Maryland due to a toe injury.

best of breaks

Despite the loss, sophomore guard Jalen Blakes played great for the Blue Devils, scoring 17 points while adding two assists and three steals. Blakes was more consistent than the rest of the team, scoring a hat-trick over the arc and having the best shot of any other Duke player. Blakes eventually fouled out, but 26 minutes played off the bench in an otherwise tough loss.

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ups and downs

The teams went 5-4 overall, including a loss to Duke on December 20 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In their last nine games, they were out of the AP vote for the first time since the 2020-21 season. In total, the team made 29.4% of his 3-point attempts while maintaining a 50-to-52 assist-to-turnover ratio as Duke lost his four in his nine-game streak. Simply put, every win for the Blue Devils contributed to their season, but every loss shows that the young team needs consistency. Duke probably wants revenge on Demon Deacon to motivate him towards a strong regular season finish.

undefeated by Cameron

The Blue Devils have certainly had a rollercoaster season, but one thing remains constant. It’s the ability to win at home. Cameron Thanks in part to his crazies and an enthusiastic crowd, Duke rounded out his 10-0 record at home with thrilling wins over Miami and Pittsburgh. The Demon Deacons haven’t beaten Duke in his 26 years with Cameron indoors at his stadium and will be looking to overcome one of his most entrenched home on-field advantages of the season on Tuesday. increase.

Filippovsky’s predominance

In addition to their vibrant home court, the Blue Devils have another solid asset. Kyle Filipowski. The freshman center has been arguably Duke’s strongest player this season and has been doing well lately.In his last five games for Duke, Filipowski averaged impressively 22 points and 12 rebounds while making 48.6% of his field goal attempts. am.



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