Durham, NC – Tied as the most played rivalry in the ACC, the Duke Blue Devils and Wake Forest Demon Deacons will add another chapter to a storied history, when the two teams collide in Durham this evening for a conference showdown at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
The fourth-ranked Blue Devils have won 44 consecutive games at Cameron Indoor Stadium and have won 63 straight games at home against unranked opponents. Duke is 15-2 on the season and has posted three straight wins overall, following last weekend's 73-66 road win at Clemson. With the victory, Mike Krzyzewski's squad moved to 3-0 in ACC play.
Jeff Bzdelik's reign in Winston-Salem has been a work in progress. After a really poor debut campaign last year. the team has made some strides in 2011-12 and currently sits three games over .500 at 10-7. However, the Demon Deacons have hit a tough patch, with losses in two straight and three of their last four games overall. Wake's last contest resulted in a 76-40 whipping at the hands of NC State.
This series dates back to 1906 and this matchup will be the 235th meeting all- time. Duke has won three straight overall in the series and 12 straight in Durham.
The Demon Deacons never led against NC State this past weekend and were routed by 36 points. C.J. Harris led the team with 10 points. Ty Walker finished with eight points and seven rebounds, but the team shot just 29.1 percent from the floor, including an ugly 2-of-20 showing from three-point range. To make matters worse, Wake committed 17 turnovers that the Wolfpack turned into 26 points. The Demon Deacons own a -1.7 scoring margin, certainly not a recipe for success. A lack of depth at the offensive end is the primary culprit. The team does possess a dynamic scoring duo in C.J. Harris (17.3 ppg) and Travis McKie (17.1 ppg). Tony Chennault gives the team a third option at the offensive end (10.6 ppg), but the scoring pool dries up in a hurry after that.
The Blue Devils employ a balanced offensive attack. They have had four or more double-figure scorers on 10 different occasions this year. Overall, the team ranks among the nation's most productive offensive squads, ranking 14th in scoring (80.3 ppg), 12th in field-goal percentage (.496) and 13th in three- point accuracy (.402). Freshman guard Austin Rivers has made an immediate impact, pacing the team with 13.8 ppg. Seth Curry (12.5 ppg) and Ryan Kelly (12.1 ppg) add to the perimeter assault, as both are shooting over 40 percent from behind the arc. Mason Plumlee is the resident muscle down low, averaging a near double-double with 11.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. In the win over Clemson, the Blue Devils proved their depth. as Andre Dawkins had the hot hand, coming off the bench to lead all scorers with 24 points. Mason Plumlee added 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Quinn Cook chipped in 10 points.
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