After defeating N.C. State in a competitive 98-85 victory, Duke (21-2, 8-2 in the ACC ) travelled to Boston College (10-13, 2-8) in the snowy aftermath of a historic blizzard. Despite a slow start due to a modified game-day schedule, the Blue Devils came from behind to earn a 62-61 victory.
Here's your postgame recap:
Revisiting the three keys to the game:
- Can Duke handle the travel? The immediate answer to this question is yes considering that Duke did earn the victory. However, the Blue Devils were nearly beaten by one of the worst teams in the ACC in Boston College. The gameday travel certainly affected the level of play early for Duke, who looked lethargic and not prepared to play.
- Can Plumlee keep it up? Mason Plumlee was a major performer for the Blue Devils. Though tallying merely 19 points, he grabbed 11 rebounds and added 2 assists to his stat line. Plumlee's presence, which often drew double- and triple-teams, in the post opened the game up for Duke's offense late.
- The top-notch passing: Duke had 12 assists in the game split between five players. Plumlee, Seth Curry, Quinn Cook, Tyler Thornton, and Rasheed Sulaimon had at least two dimes each, with Cook and Curry dishing three assists. The offense did not have a specific focal point against Boston College's defense as different players created opportunities for their teammates to score.
Three key plays:
- 1:00, first half. Mason Plumlee gets the ball in the post and sinks a layup with a foul to tie the game for Duke capping a 10-3 run for the Blue Devils. With the subsequent free throw, Plumlee put Duke in the lead for the first time in the game.
- 14:34, second half. Seth Curry sinks a three pointer with a foul off a loose-ball rebound. Curry hit the free throw which gave Duke a 39-34 lead. The play earned Curry his seventh point in the 2nd half.
- 25.1, second half. Mason Plumlee is fouled with 46.6 in the second half and hits both free throws to tie game at 61. After the Eagles missed a corner three, Plumlee grabbed the rebound and was fouled again. He missed the first free throw, but hit the second to give Duke a one-point lead.
Three key stats:
- Duke's 10 offensive rebounds. The Blue Devils compensated for a lack of efficient shooting by grabbing 10 offensive boards. The second chance opportunities made the difference for Duke late in the game and in gaining the lead early in the second half.
- Boston College's 11 steals. Duke had a hard time maintaining possessions especially early in the game. Boston College exploited the Blue Devils' mental lapses on the offensive end, securing 11 of Duke's 13 turnovers off of steals. The Eagles' active defense and Duke's subpar offensive performance gave Boston College multiple transition chances from turnovers.
- Duke's 40.4% shooting from the floor. Duke was not that efficient shooting from the floor against the Eagles. Compared to a season average of 47% from the field, the Blue Devils could not convert on easy shots and open three pointers throughout the game. In order to earn a victory over North Carolina Wednesday, Duke will need to make open shots.
And the Duke game ball goes to ... Mason Plumlee. Mason Plumlee was active on both ends of the floor for Duke and had a solid day scoring. Earning another double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, Plumlee added two assists, one steal, and two blocks to his stat line. The important part of Plumlee's performance was his free throw shooting late in the game going 3-4 during the final minute of play to give Duke the victory.
And the Boston College game ball goes to ... Olivier Hanlon. Hanlon guided Boston College's offense throughout the game and was the Eagles' leading scorer with 20 points and also added four rebounds. His presence on the court kept Boston College in the game and almost helped the Eagles defeat Duke.
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