•  Game 29  •
[7 AP/7 Coaches] Duke (23-5, 9-4 ACC) vs. Virginia Tech (17-10, 7-6 ACC)
Saturday, February 28, 2009  •  3:30 PM ET  •  ABC
Cassell Coliseum (9,847)  •  Blacksburg, Va.
 
Blue Devil Bits

Duke is 23-5 on the year, including a 9-4 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Blue Devils have won three straight games, including a 78-67 road victory over Maryland on Wednesday.

The Blue Devils are ranked seventh in the AP poll and ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. Duke has now been ranked in the top 10 in 33 consecutive AP polls.

Duke is rated fourth in the RPI according to CollegeRPI.com. The Blue Devils’ strength of schedule is ranked sixth in the country by the site as well.

Junior Gerald Henderson led the Blue Devils in scoring for the third straight game with 19 points on Wednesday. He also had eight rebounds, three assists and a career-high four blocks in the win.

Elliot Williams scored a career-high 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting against the Terrapins. Williams has set a new career high in scoring in each of the past three games for the Blue Devils.

Sophomore Kyle Singler recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds versus Maryland. He was 4-of-7 from the field, including 2-of-3 from three-point range in the win.

Jon Scheyer added 12 points and a team-high five assists in 37 minutes of play on Wednesday. He has now scored in double figures 21 times this season.

Duke went 20-of-28 (.714) from the foul line in the win over Maryland. The Blue Devils have made 20 or more free throws in three straight games.
 
Numbers Game

Duke has won two straight meetings in the series with Virginia Tech and four of the last five games against the Hokies. The Blue Devils posted an 69-44 victory over Virginia Tech at Cameron Indoor Stadium earlier this season.

Duke is 9-4 in ACC action, marking the 14th straight year the Blue Devils have won at least eight games in league play. Duke has posted 10 or more wins in ACC regular season contests in 11 of the last 12 seasons.

Gerald Henderson is the only player to rank in the top five in league play in scoring, field goal percentage and steals. Henderson is fifth in scoring at 20.1 ppg., fourth in steals at 1.9 spg. and fifth in field goal percentage at .513 in 13 ACC contests.

Kyle Singler is one of two players in the ACC averaging at least 16.0 ppg. and 7.5 rpg. this season. Cherokee Parks (1994-95), Elton Brand (1998-99), Carlos Boozer (2001-02) and Shelden Williams (2005-06) are the only Duke players to accomplish that feat in the last 15 years.

Freshman Elliot Williams is averaging 12.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, while shooting 16-of-21 (.727) from the floor since joining the starting lineup prior to the St. John’s game. Williams had a career-best 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting in Wednesday’s win over Maryland.

Junior Gerald Henderson is averaging 20.1 points per game in league play. He has raised his ACC scoring average by 7.7 ppg. from a year ago, the second-largest improvement in the conference.

Jon Scheyer has nine assists and just two turnovers since taking over point guard duties three games ago. The Northbrook, Ill., native is averaging 20.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game with a 4.5:1 assist-to-turnover ratio in that stretch.

Gerald Henderson has scored in double figures in 20 straight games, which is the fourth-longest streak in the ACC. He is averaging 18.9 points per game and shooting 51.1 percent (140-of-274) from the field in the last 20 contests.

Kyle Singler ranks first or second on the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals. He leads the team in rebounds (7.9 rpg.) and steals (46), while ranking second in scoring (16.0 ppg.) and assists (73). He is also third on the team in blocks (23).

Sophomore Nolan Smith is out indefinitely after suffering a mild concussion in the second half of Wednesday’s 78-67 win over Maryland. Smith is averaging 8.5 points with 14 double figure scoring games on the year.

Duke leads the ACC in turnover margin at +4.1. The Blue Devils have committed less than 10 turnovers in a game four times in the month of February and have a +6.7 turnover margin in the last seven games.