In their FIRST TRUE ROAD GAME the Duke Blue Devils dispatched of Danny Manning’s Wake Forest Demon Deacons 87-65.
The Blue Devils once again started slowly on the offensive end turning the ball over 4 times in the first 6 minutes of the game. Duke did not waiver on the defensive end, but their lack of execution in the half court the first 10 minutes of the game kept the Demon Deacons in the game. Duke also allowed Wake to get into the bonus early in the half. Wake had a decisive advantage at the free throw line in the first half going 8 of 11 to only 3 of 6 for the Blue Devils. Duke ended the half with an 14 to 6 run push the lead to 8 at the half.
Coming out of the half the Blue Devils needed several areas of improvement one was to keep the Demon Deacons off of the line and to win back the rebounding battle as Wake held an advantage at the half. Duke used a 23 to 9 run to put the game out of reach. The Blue Devils shot 63.3% in the second half and won the rebounding battle 22 to 15 in the second period.
The Blue Devils held Wake to under 35% shooting for the game, blocked 13 shots and had 7 steals on the defensive end. The Blue Devils held Wake’s leading scorer Brandon Childress to 12 total points.
The Blue Devils freshman phenom Zion Williamson led all scores and had his seventh double-double with a career-high 30 points, 10 rebounds, a career-high five assists and four steals. It is his fourth straight double-double and fifth in six games. Both R.J Barrett and Tre Jones added 7 assists a piece to the Blue Devil total of 24, Jones’ coming with just one turnover. Barrett also added 21 points. Marques Bolden scored 12 for the Blue Devils, his second consecutive game scoring in double figures. Jack White anchored the Duke defense with 5 blocked shots to go with his 8 rebounds.
