Key Stats from Wake Forest's 81-70 win over No. 14 Duke
Behind a skilled shooting performance from Cameron Hildreth and Matthew Marsh, along with key free throws by Tyree Appleby, Wake Forest upset No. 14 Duke in the Joel.
Read here for the key stats from the victory.
Duke led for just 19 seconds
Right from the get-go, Wake Forest took control of the game. After trailing by two at the 17:55 mark in the first half, the Deacs took over the lead and never let go. A 9-0 run, along with four 5-0’s allowed Wake Forest to build up to double-digits down the stretch. Most importantly, Wake Forest responded to the inevitable threat of a Duke comeback. Midway through the second half, the Blue Devils knocked down two three-pointers to move within eight. Instead of letting Duke back into the game, the Deacs scored six of the next nine points, and rolled to victory.
Tyree Appleby knocked down 13 free throws
Despite a less than stellar night shooting from the field for Appleby — he hit just two of his eight shots — the Florida transfer made a massive impact down the stretch from the charity stripe. In the second half, Appleby converted all 10 of his free-throw attempts, and knocked down six in the final six minutes.
With Wake Forest in the bonus for a significant portion of the second half, the team was able to put the ball in Appleby’s hands and trust that a foul would get them two points at the line. When trying to beat one of the best programs in the country, being able to rely on that is incredibly important.
One negative, Appleby finished the game with eight turnovers, more than half of Wake Forest’s total.
READ: Wake Forest Basketball upsets Duke 81-70
Cameron Hildreth earned his ninth-straight game with double-digit points
Hildreth is perhaps the most consistent scorer for Wake Forest, and oftentimes he does so quietly. Tonight was not one of those nights. Attempting the most shots of any Deac by four, Hildreth converted seven of his 15 shots for 16 points. He also just missed out on a double-double, securing nine rebounds as a force under the bucket.
With 2:40 remaining on the clock, he drove to the hoop for an impressive euro-step finish to give Wake an 11-point lead and seal the game, perhaps one of the most important plays of his career. Adding onto his game-winner against Wisconsin, Hildreth has now played a key role in both of Wake Forest’s Quad 1 wins.
Wake Forest outrebounded Duke 37-29
With Duke missing lead big-man Dereck Lively due to illness, the Deacs took control of the size game in the middle. Not only did Wake Forest win the overall rebounding battle, but they also secured nine offensive rebounds to Duke’s seven.
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Duke shot 29.6% from three
In the first half, the Blue Devils could not get going from behind the arc, converting on just three of their 15 attempts. Those 15 shots made up nearly half of the team’s overall shots in the half, making for a tough path to get points on the board in a raucous environment.
Duke did pick up the pace in the second half, hitting five of 12, but the damage was already done, and the Deacs lead proved to be too big. Notably, Kyle Filipowski missed all six of his attempts.
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