Duke Hosts NC State: Gameday Live Blog
Coach Mike Krzyzewski is expected to return to the bench for Saturday’s game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, when Duke hosts NC State.
Coach K missed Wednesday’s game at Wake Forest with a non-COVID virus. However, assistant Nolan Smith confirmed late in the week that Krzyzewski was back at practice and, barring a setback, he’s expecting to be back in the lead chair.
In his absence, associate head coach, and coach-in-waiting, Jon Scheyer led Duke to a 12-point victory over Wake on Wednesday. The win improved Duke to 13-2, 3-1 in the ACC.
Coach K and the Blue Devils will face an NC State team that hs won two of three following a five-game losing streak. State won by five at Virginia Tech, lost by five at home to Clemson, then won by 16 at Louisville to improve to 9-8, 2-4 in the ACC. The Pack is 2-1 in road games this year, opening its road ACC schedule with a loss at Miami in late December.
State is red hot shooting the ball, lighting up Louisville for a season high 56.1 percent and hitting two thirds of its shots in the second half. The Pack also hit 12-of-25 from three and matched a season high with 12 three-pointers.
Terquavion Smith has given the team a boost since joining the starting lineup 10 games ago. He is averaging 17.7 ppg since becoming a starter and has hit at least three treys in eight of the 10 games.
Duke made a change to its starting lineup last game, moving AJ Griffin into the opening five, in place of Jeremy Roach. Duke going with the same lineup today.
State punishing Mark Williams for helping on defense, in search of blocked shots. Dowuona crashes the lane every time he does and has gotten three uncontested dunks.
State out to a fast start. Duke struggling with their physical play.
Duke on a 7-0 run to tie it. Still waiting on the under 16 as we go under 13 minutes.
Whistle comes at 12:34. Very late under 16 with the score tied at 15
Each team scores before we go to the under 12. 17-17
With Dowuona out with two fouls, Williams is asserting himself. Beats everyone down court for a dunk, then dunks on the next possession as well. Time out State, 34-27 Duke
Williams has 10 points, four rebounds, two blocks
Keels too strong on the pass into the post. Williams catches it falling out of bounds and drops a bounce pass to Banchero. Next trip down, Williams with a very weak pass in the post to Banchero that's picked off. K immediately gets Theo John up.
At the under four, Duke is up 36-32, State on a 5-0 run.
Bates Jones throws away the inbounds pass in his only appearance of the game, and we hit halftime with Duke up 45-36.
Duke goes up by double-digits for the first time, then Keels gets a pick-two. Time out State, Duke up 51-38.
We hit the under 16 at a more appropriate 15:57 this half. Duke has taken control, 54-40.
At the under 8, Duke leads 71-57. Mark Williams has 7 blocks to go with 17 and 9. Trevor Keels have 5 steals to go with 12, 5 and 7
Coach K calls time after Banchero throws away the ball. Blue Devils up just 11 with 5:41 left. State ball.
Williams with 8 blocks, ninth most in a Duke game, most since 2006 (Shelden Williams), fifth most by a Blue Devil at Cameron
And Duke finishes off the 88-73 win
