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 a huge matchup for men's basketball against No. 2 Michigan State and another early NCAA tournament exit for field hockey.
6
The Blue Devils enter Tuesday night’s matchup against Michigan State in Chicago with six consecutive victories against the Spartans and an 11-1 record during the Krzyzewski era. Duke defeated Michigan State 78-69 at home last season, but the stakes will be much different this time around, as the Blue Devils and the Spartans come into the matchup as the top two teams in the nation.
Find out the full story—Duke men's basketball set for Champions Classic showdown with No. 2 Spartans
1
Freshman Marvin Bagley III became the first player in program history to earn a double-double in his first career game Friday against Elon with a 24-point, 10-rebound performance. Bagley followed up his stellar debut with another double-double Saturday against Utah Valley, this time a 25-point, 10-rebound effort. Despite the early success, Bagley has struggled from the free throw line, converting on a mere 22 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe.
Find out the full story—Marvin Bagley III stars in unprecedented debut for Duke men's basketball
35
Quarterback Daniel Jones’ four-yard touchdown run with 3:53 remaining in the second quarter against Army was the Blue Devils’ first first-half touchdown in 35 days. Duke last punched the ball in the end zone in the first 30 minutes during their 28-21 loss at Virginia on Oct. 7th. The Blue Devils ended up losing Saturday’s contest 21-16 for their sixth consecutive defeat after starting the season 4-0.
Find out the full story—Second-half rally comes up short in Duke football's sixth straight loss
5
All five starters for No. 12 Duke women’s basketball—Rebecca Greenwell, Lexie Brown, Leaonna Odom, Mikayla Boykin and Erin Mathias—reached double-digits in scoring for the first time since 2015 in Sunday’s win against Grand Canyon in Phoenix. Even as heavy favorites against the Antelopes, it certainly wasn't easy for the Blue Devils, but they pulled out a 74-61 win.
Find out the full story—Duke women's basketball challenged at Grand Canyon, but wins season opener
9
The Blue Devils’ field hockey title hopes were thwarted by ninth-seeded Maryland Sunday, which overcame a 2-1 deficit in the game’s final five minutes to earn a 3-2 victory and advance to the tournament’s second weekend. Despite being ranked the top-five for the entirety of the last two seasons, Duke will have no hardware to show for it after failing to win either the ACC or advance to the final four of the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years.
Find out the full story—Déjà vu: Duke field hockey lets late lead slip away at home in NCAA quarterfinals
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Digital Strategy Director for Vol. 115, Michael was previously Sports Editor for Vol. 114 and Assistant Blue Zone Editor for Vol. 113. Michael is a senior majoring in Statistical Science and is interested in data analytics and using data to make insights.