The unofficial athletic nickname of Georgia Tech athletics is the Ramblin Wreck, but after losing consecutive ACC games for the first time since 1997, it is Duke who seems to embody that phrase.
The Blue Devils (12-2, 3-2) look to end their recent woes Saturday at noon against Georgia Tech (9-6, 2-2) in Cameron Indoor Stadium, where they have yet to drop a game during the young conference season.
Although this year has had entirely different circumstances for the most part, the Georgia Tech-Duke matchup in Cameron resembles, at least from the outset, last season's game.
Immediately prior to the Tech game in January of 2002, the Blue Devils had their undefeated season unexpectedly taken away when Florida State pulled off perhaps the biggest upset in the ACC when they defeated Duke 77-76.
So distraught with his team's play against the Seminoles, head coach Mike Krzyzewski removed all forms of luxury in the Duke locker room to send a message.
Duke responded to the loss with an electric, 104-79 win over the Yellow Jackets in a game in which Krzyzewski wildly encouraged fans to scream after he received a technical foul.
The performance was so good by the Blue Devils that analysts later felt that Duke peaked too early, which led to its disappointing Sweet 16 loss to Indiana.
As Georgia Tech innocently travels to Durham this weekend, the Blue Devils have revenge on their minds once again.
"We want to simulate [last year's Georgia Tech] game," sophomore guard Daniel Ewing said. "We want to go out there and be all over the place and have the fans into it."
Although the prologue for the game is repetitive, it will be much more difficult for the 2003 Duke team to repeat last years showing, as the effect of the loss of three first team All-ACC players is finally beginning to show on the Blue Devils.
"Last year we had only lost one game [before the Georgia Tech game]," senior forward Dahntay Jones said. "There's more of a sense of urgency now. We've lost two big games."
Struggling to matchup with talented frontcourt players even in its wins this season, Duke will have trouble shutting down Georgia Tech's 6-foot-10 power forward, freshman Chris Bosch.
While Duke's six freshmen received most of the complimentary press in the off-season, it is Bosh who is making a strong case for All-ACC selection this year, averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds a game.
The Duke big men, who have been nonexistent of late, will have to play one of their best games if they are to slow down the lengthy Bosch.
"Our big guys are bound to have a game where they break out," Jones said. "Those guys work so hard."
Leading the Yellow Jackets in scoring is 6-foot-4 sophomore guard Barry Elder. Although the perimeter game is clearly the Blue Devils' strength, Elder could cause problems in the backcourt, as he dropped 24 points in Tech's 85-61 win over the Blue Devil-beating N.C. State.
But getting too down on the young Duke team, do not forget that the Blue Devils have historically shown they need some adversity in their season before having the potential to emerge as an elite team.
The national runner-up 1999 team and the 2000 Blue Devils that finished at the top of the final AP poll needed losses in pre-season tournaments before each squad went on massive winning streaks.
Even the 2001 national championship team required a late home loss to Maryland to provide motivation for its tournament run.
The players on this year's squad are determined to do the same, starting with the Georgia Tech game.
"We're just trying to get better and better," Jones said.
J.J. Redick, Duke's leading scorer at 17.2 points per game, is expected to play Saturday, though he did not practice Thursday with a foot strain.
The Blue Devils will need his tremendous outside touch if they are to recover from their recent losses.
"J.J.'s a tough kid," Jones said. "I think he'll be ready to play Saturday."
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