No. 11 Duke looks to rebound from Saturday's overtime loss at the Carrier Dome as the Blue Devils welcome Wake Forest to Cameron Indoor Stadium at 9 p.m. Tuesday. Here are tonight's keys to the game:
Duplicate Saturday's energy and effort
The hype around Saturday's meeting with Syracuse was tremendous, and the Blue Devils rose to the occasion, putting forth a herculean effort even in defeat. The Demon Deacons aren't the top-ranked team in the nation, but they're no slouch either, something Duke could find out in a hurry if it doesn't come out with the same energy and aggressiveness that it displayed for the full 45 minutes at Syracuse. Leading scorer Codi Miller-McIntyre may or may not suit up for the Demon Deacons, but Devin Thomas and Travies McKie are potent weapons in their own rights that must be contained for Duke to secure a victory.
Get Quinn Cooking Again
The Blue Devil point guard has stepped up his offensive game this season in the shadows of Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood, but Cook struggled from the floor last week. In road games at Pittsburgh and Syracuse, the junior was a combined 2-for-11 from beyond the arc, but still dished out 11 helpers. Cook will need to continue to shoot with confidence against Wake Forest to keep the defense honest—if he can start knocking down shots like he has for most of the season, the Blue Devils will be hard to beat.
Get Stops
Offensively, Duke put up 89 points against Syracuse's 2-3 zone, one of the best defenses in the country. The problem was on the other end of the floor, where Duke couldn't secure enough stops and defensive rebounds to try to extend momentum and a lead. Playing in front of their home crowd, the Blue Devils need to come out committed to defending a Wake Forest team that has topped 70 points just twice in ACC play. As has been the case throughout Duke's stretch of vastly improved play, the rebounding of Amile Jefferson and Marshall Plumlee will be crucial to creating extended scoring droughts for the Demon Deacons.
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