They say the devil is in the details. But in Durham, the Blue Devils are in the details—and numbers.
Each week, the Blue Zone will dissect five key stats from last week's action in Duke sports, whether they be historic or underwhelming. This week, let the numbers take you inside an up-and-down performance against Baylor in football and a big field hockey win.
5
After slipping to No. 4 following a 4-1 setback to then-No.10 Virginia on Sept. 8, Duke field hockey has rebounded with three straight top-15 wins, during the last two of which five different Blue Devils scored goals. It is encouraging for Duke fans to see the balanced attack that has proven lethal at multiple points throughout the season return, which wasn't there against the Cavaliers. First came a 3-1 win against then-No. 15 James Madison Sept. 10, then an emphatic 5-0 win over No. 11 Louisville on Friday and a 2-1 victory over No. 15 Princeton Sunday.
Find out the whole story—Duke field hockey rolls past Louisville in home opener AND Duke field hockey holds off late surge from No. 15 Princeton at home
259
Senior Shaun Wilson put on a show Saturday against Baylor, amassing 259 all-purpose yards to lead a ground game that scorched the Bears for nearly 250 yards on the ground. Wilson was responsible for 176 yards rushing, including two touchdowns runs of over 50 yards, giving him six over his career—a new Duke record. After this dominant effort, the Charlotte native moved into Duke’s top-10 all-time chart for rushing yards.
Find out the whole story—Ground and pound: Explosive runs and takeaways push Duke football to 3-0
2
Duke men’s golf opened its 2017 campaign on a high note, hurtling past two top-10 teams in the final round to finish second at the Rod Myers Invitation hosted by the Blue Devils. After a slow first day put the team tied for fifth with a score of 289, Duke led the field on the final round with a score of 274 to jump No. 3 Vanderbilt and No. 10 Oregon. The Blue Devils finished just seven strokes behind No. 8 Wake Forest, which led throughout the entire weekend.
Find out the whole story—Duke men's golf finishes in second place after strong final round in Rod Myers Invitational
0
Despite amassing 34 points on Saturday, the Blue Devils struggled in the red zone, with just six points to show for after four trips—never scoring a touchdown. A missed field goal and an interception by Daniel Jones stifled what amounted to impressive drives by Duke in the second quarter, sending the Blue Devils to the locker room up just seven points. With Tobacco Road rival North Carolina on deck, Duke will have to shore up its red-zone efficiency in order to keep the Victory Bell in Durham.
Find out the whole story—Missed opportunities cause for concern for Duke football despite victory
4
Both the men’s and women’s cross-country teams were in the midst of a rebuilding year last season, evidenced by the overwhelming youth of both squads. Over the weekend, however, the current freshmen proved to be the heroes for the men’s and women’s sides, who finished first and second in their respective tournaments. Four freshmen—Paul Dellinger and C.J. Ambrosio on the men’s side and Amanda Beach and Michaela Reinhart on the women’s side—finished in the top-five at their invitational this weekend, an encouraging sign for both teams.
Find out the whole story—Duke cross country men win title, women finish second in separate invitationals
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