Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Resiliency at Wake Forest Highlights Title Possibility

The Duke basketball team aced its bounceback test versus the Demon Deacons.
Matt Giles|
Duke basketball forward Cooper Flagg
Duke basketball forward Cooper Flagg | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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Duke Blue Devils

Duke basketball outplayed the Wake Forest Demon Deacons early on Saturday, building a 35-22 halftime lead in Winston-Salem, N.C., where Jon Scheyer and his Blue Devils had lost two straight. But the visitors went cold out of the gates in the second half, getting outscored, 23-4, en route to a concerning 45-39 deficit with eight minutes and change remaining in the game.

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No worries necessary.

Freshman phenom Cooper Flagg rose to the challenge with a made jumper. Rookie guard/forward Kon Knueppel did the same less than a minute later. Graduate forward Mason Gillis followed their lead with his splash from three just 49 seconds after that. And Flagg recaptured Duke's lead at 48-47 via a smooth layup off the glass with 5:44 to play.

Plus, the Blue Devils bought into Scheyer's switch to a zone on the other end of the floor, holding Wake Forest (15-5, 7-2 ACC) to only 11 points in the final 9:58 of action and heading back to Durham with a feel-good 63-56 revenge victory in tow.

As Duke Blue Devils On SI opined when the Blue Devils had their back against the wall and seemed lost for answers midway through the second half, "If Duke is to be a championship team, it'll flip a switch in moments like this and get the win."

Switch flipped. No doubt about that.

Behind 24 points from Flagg, 15 from Knueppel, and 11 from Gillis, Scheyer's third batch of Blue Devils extended its winning streak to 13 and remained undefeated in ACC play, improving to 17-2 overall and 9-0 against the conference.

Now, Duke basketball prepares to host the NC State Wolfpack (9-10, 2-6 ACC) in Cameron Indoor Stadium, where the Blue Devils haven't lost since the finale of the 2023-24 regular season, at 8:30 p.m. ET Monday (ESPN).

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Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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