After jumping out to an early 18-4 lead, it looked as if the number two ranked Blue Devils were going to cruise to another win. But Toledo roared back to pull with 41-37 at the half and suddenly this was a hard-fought affair.
Duke would ultimately break away in the second half for an 86-69 victory and in the process push their season record to 11-0. The Blue Devils were once again led by Jahlil Okafor who talked a game high 27 points. But it was the guard play down the stretch of senior Quinn Cook and freshman Tyus Jones that allowed Duke to finally pull away.
Cook scored 20 points for the undefeated Blue Devils while Tyus Jones chipped in with 15 points and a game high 8 assists. The duo went 15 for 15 combined from the free throw stripe as well.
Every time it looked like Duke would pull away, the Rockets would battle back, mainly on the play of Julius Brown who led them with 19. Brown consistently scored off ball screens and Duke not rotating.
Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski praised the Rockets in the post game press conference and for good reason. He lauded a veteran club playing a tough schedule for pushing his Blue Devils and allowing them to learn more about themselves as a team.
This was the kind of game which prepares team well for the coming ACC wars but first Duke must take on Wofford on Wednesday, Like Toledo, Wofford is an experienced and well coached team.
Duke has now won 115 consecutive non conference home games in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Coach Mike Krzyzewski was the recipient of his 994th win as a college coach as he closes in on 1000 wins, a mark which has never been achieved.
With the win, the 2nd ranked Blue Devils become second in wins of any team in college hoops this decade, at 161 which is four ahead of 3rd place Syracuse and three game behind Kansas.
Here is what Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor had to say post game -
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