Duke Triumphs Over Wake Forest
In a commanding display on Saturday, fifth-ranked Duke triumphed over Wake Forest with a score of 90-69, showcasing their prowess inside the paint. Freshman Cameron Boozer was a standout performer, contributing 32 points to the victory while also securing nine rebounds and dishing out four assists. His skillful handling of the ball allowed him to navigate double-team defenses effectively, leading Duke to dominate their rivals 48-16 in points scored within the paint.
Rebounding and Second-Chance Opportunities
The Blue Devils also controlled the boards, finishing with a remarkable margin of 21 rebounds over the Demon Deacons, and they capitalized on second-chance opportunities with an 18-7 advantage in that category. Boozer’s impressive effort marked his fourth game this season with 30 or more points, and the team’s overall shooting efficiency stood at 50%.
Recent Performance and Upcoming Matches
Duke’s solid performance comes on the heels of a two-game sweep during a challenging cross-country stretch, where they defeated California and Stanford by significant margins of 15 and 30 points, respectively. Patrick Ngongba II added to the scoring with 13 points and seven rebounds.
Though Wake Forest’s Juke Harris managed to net 20 of his 23 points in the second half, the team struggled overall, shooting only 40.7% for the game. Despite leading for the initial 13 minutes, they could not maintain their momentum, eventually allowing Duke to pull away with a decisive 13-0 run before halftime. The Demon Deacons are now facing a tough stretch with six losses in their last eight games.
Historically, Wake Forest has had a tough time at Cameron Indoor Stadium, having lost 27 consecutive games there since their last victory in 1997, a year when the legendary Tim Duncan was part of the team.
This matchup was originally scheduled for a later time in the day but was moved forward to noon in anticipation of severe winter weather. Looking ahead, Wake Forest will travel to Pittsburgh on Tuesday, while Duke is set to host 23rd-ranked Louisville on Monday.
