In its first home game since Jan. 19, No. 4 Duke held off a determined Georgia Tech squad that is much better than its 1-9 ACC record indicates, eventually prevailing 72-66 led by senior Quinn Cook. The Blue Devils' lone senior scored all 17 of his points in the second half as Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski moved past North Carolina legend Dean Smith atop the ACC's all-time wins list with No. 423.
Revisiting the three keys to the game:
- Keep the stars fresh: This one didn't go according to plan, as the Blue Devils never stretched their lead to more than 10 and were forced to once again rely on their stars to carry them home late. Jahlil Okafor, Cook, Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow all played 33 or more minutes. Perhaps more importantly, Duke only got a meaningful contribution off the bench from guard Matt Jones, who continued his strong play with 11 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes. The Blue Devils' other two scholarship reserves, Grayson Allen and Marshall Plumlee, were largely ineffective in their 11 combined minutes, meaning major questions about Duke's depth will still linger as it adjusts to life without Rasheed Sulaimon.
- Shut down dribble penetration without fouling: The Blue Devils struggled for much of the game in their man-to-man defense, letting Georgia Tech score 30 points in the paint and create open looks from outside after attacking off the bounce. Despite entering the game shooting 25.7 percent from long range, the Yellow Jackets went 8-of-11 from distance Wednesday night and hung around because of their ability to answer Duke's spurts with key baskets. The Blue Devils also had issues with foul trouble, with starting forward Amile Jefferson picking up four and Winslow and Okafor racking up three apiece.
- Keep Tyus Jones rolling: Once again, Jones cooled off again in a less exciting atmosphere, scoring nine points on 3-of-10 shooting to end a streak of five consecutive games with double-digits. Although he had five assists and three steals, Jones had four turnovers and struggled inside the arc, going just 1-of-6 on two-point field goals. Ultimately, Jones and Cook were once again able to make the big plays late to lift Duke to another win, but consistency continues to be a concern for the Blue Devils' floor general.
Three key plays:
- 14:52, second half: For the 32nd consecutive game, Cook knocks down a 3-pointer after receiving a nice feed from Tyus Jones. The Washington native was quiet in the first half, but finally got going after knocking down a triple to put his team up six.
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6:33, second half: Cook caps a personal 4-0 run in 19 seconds by finishing a layup while getting fouled to put Duke back up by five after Georgia Tech clawed within one. The fastbreak hoop was set up by a nice pass by Winslow, who pushed the tempo after grabbing a long rebound.
- 0:39. second half: With his team up four, Matt Jones essentially seals the win with a beautiful steal on an errant Marcus Georges-Hunt outlet pass to give the Blue Devils the ball back. Duke clinched the win at the free throw line and the play was one of several big ones by the sophomore reserve, who also had multiple tip-ins in the first half and continued to excel by doing the little things.
Three key stats:
- Winslow grabs 10 rebounds, scores 15 points on six field goal attempts: The Houston native has officially broken out of his slump and continued his strong play by using his 6-foot-6, 225-pound frame down low to lead the team in rebounding. With Jefferson limited by foul trouble for much of the game, being able to count on Winslow to help Okafor inside was a huge luxury for Krzyzewski against a team with plenty of beef inside. The Houston native's 2.5 points per shot attempt were also the most of his young career.
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Duke wins despite going 5-of-18 from long range: Saturday was all about the Blue Devils' ability to knock down clutch 3-pointers to beat a top team, but the shots weren't falling for much of the game Wednesday. The fact that Duke was still able to put up 72 points without firing on all cylinders thanks to only committing 10 turnovers and controlling the paint is encouraging as the team prepares for its rematch with No. 10 Notre Dame Saturday.
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Blue Devils only go 10-of-17 from the free throw line in the second half: Free throws continue to be a weak area for Duke. Despite Winslow's all-around strong performance, he went just 4-of-7 from the charity stripe and missed a crucial pair late, and Okafor once again struggled, going 4-of-8. The Blue Devils came away with a close win despite leaving points at the line once again, but might not be able to afford the misfires with the clock stopped in the future.
And the Duke game ball goes to... Justise Winslow
Cook's 17 points helped Duke close the game out, but Winslow was the consistent driving force behind its success for much of the contest. He finished with 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including 1-of-1 from downtown, went 4-of-7 from the free throw line and added 10 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. The swingman appears to be getting back to the form that had him looking like one of the most unique players in the country early this season—that's not good news for Duke's upcoming opponents.
And the Georgia Tech game ball goes to... Chris Bolden
Georgia Tech wasn't going to have much of a chance against the Blue Devils unless someone other than star forward Marcus Georges-Hunt knocked down shots outside the paint, and Bolden showed he was up for the challenge. The junior guard knocked down four of his six 3-pointers on the evening and finished with a team-high 16 points, combining with Georges-Hunt—who scored 14 points and knocked down two triples—to keep the Yellow Jackets close. For the eighth time in 10 ACC games, Georgia Tech fell short by seven points or less, but the Yellow Jackets could build momentum for next year if Bolden and company keep performing well.
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