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Duke Basketball

Duke at Florida State Game Notes

• Game 28 •

[5 AP / 4 Coaches] Duke (23-4, 10-2) vs. [15 AP / 16 Coaches] Florida State (19-7, 10-2)

Thursday, February 23, 2012 • 7:00 p.m. • ESPN

The Opening Tip

• Duke (23-4, 10-2) faces Florida State (19-7, 10-2) in an ACC road contest on Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m.

• Dan Shulman (play-by-play), Dick Vitale (analyst) and Jeannine Edwards (sideline) will call the game for ESPN.

• Duke is ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll and No. 4 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. The Blue Devils are 67-24 when ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll. Florida State is ranked No. 15 in the AP Poll and No. 16 in the Coaches Poll.

• Duke is the only team in the NCAA to rank in the top 5 in RPI, Strength of Schedule as well as the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls. Duke has three wins against top 10 teams in the RPI.

• The Blue Devils are currently 6-0 on the road in league play. Duke has not won seven straight ACC road contests since the 2005-06 season.

Duke-Florida State Series

• Duke and Florida State have met 38 times heading into Thursday’s game with the first meeting between the two schools coming on Jan. 3, 1955.

• The Blue Devils lead the all-time series 30-8, including a 29-8 ledger since Florida State joined the ACC.

• Duke has lost two straight in the series after winning the previous five meetings. The Blue Devils have won 10 of the last 14 games between the two schools.

• Mike Krzyzewski is 28-7 at Duke against the Seminoles, including a 12-6 record at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Duke has won four of the last six road meetings in the series.

• Duke’s eight losses to Florida State have been by a combined 24 points (3.0 points per game). The Blue Devils have not lost by more than five points to the Seminoles.

• 11 of the last 15 games in the series have been decided by 10 points or less.

Numbers Game

l The Blue Devils are 4-1 on the season against ranked opponents. The last time Duke played a ranked Florida State team was an 84-81 win at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 3, 1990.

l Duke has been ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll for 90 straight weeks, the third-longest streak in NCAA history.

l The Blue Devils are 12-3 on the year in games decided by 10 points or less. The Blue Devils have five wins in ACC play by less than 10 points. Duke’s 12 wins by 10 points or less are the ninth-most in school history.

l Duke averages 25.2 points per game off the bench with 10 games with 30 or more bench points. The Blue Devils have had a double-digit scorer off the bench in 20 of 27 games this season.

l The Blue Devils have had at least one 20-point scorer in each of the last six trips to Tallahassee.

l Only five Duke teams have won their first six ACC road games. The Blue Devils are 6-0 in ACC road games to start this season, joining the 2005-06, 1999-2000, 1998-99 and 1962-63 teams as the only ones to win their first six ACC road contests.

l Duke has hit at least eight three-pointers in six straight games. During that streak, the Blue Devils are averaging 29.0 ppg. from three-point range.

l The Blue Devils have scored at least 40 points in the second half in five straight games. The Blue Devils are averaging 41.5 points in the second half of games this season.

l Seth Curry has scored in double-figures in six consecutive games and is averaging 18.5 points per game in that span. He is 18-of-37 (.486) from three-point range and is also averaging 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals in the last six contests.

l Austin Rivers leads Duke in scoring at 15.0 points per game and has reached double figures in 23 contests. He is attempting to become just the third Blue Devil freshman to lead the team in scoring.

l Miles Plumlee is averaging 8.7 points and 12.7 rebounds over his last three games. He has two double-figure rebounding games during that span, including a Coach K-era record 22 boards against Maryland on Feb. 11.

l Seth Curry has made 12 straight free throws and 33 of his last 36 free throw attempts. He ranks second in the ACC with an .882 free throw percentage, which would rank as the seventh highest single-season mark in school history.

l Brothers Mason and Miles Plumlee combine to average 17.7 points and 16.3 rebounds per game this season. Either Mason or Miles has led Duke in rebounding in 25 of Duke’s 27 games. The duo has also combined for 20 double-figure rebounding games on the year.

l Seth Curry and Austin Rivers have combined to average 36.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game over the last six contests. The tandem is 36-of-79 (.456) from three-point range in that span.

Monday Musings

BDN Monday Musings ponders past and future happenings around Duke Basketball

The Duke Blue Devils coasted past Boston College last evening setting up a huge rematch against Florida State this week and BDN Monday Musings takes a look back and ahead.

Duke too much for Boston College

After a slow start, the Blue Devils waltzed past the Boston College Eagles 75-50 and that kept them in a three way tie for first place.  A tremendous 45-21 rebounding edge and pounding the offensive glass gave Duke the win but this game is less than memorable after the Blue Devils have won a couple high profile and talked about games.  But Duke took care of business and returned to snow dusted Durham healthy and well.  The 25 point margin was the larger in the series for Duke who holds a 14-2 edge in the series.  Duke held the hapless Eagles without a field goal for a 14 minute plus stretch.  Folks point to the Blue Devils defensive numbers being down this season and this game will help those numbers but has anyone taken into consideration the Blue Devils strength of schedule his season and that they haven't played the sisters of the poor?  Just sayin'

Curry-Rivers chemistry

If you've been paying close attention to the last few games, the Blue Devils are getting improved chemistry from it's guard tandem of Seth Curry and Austin Rivers.  This is a good thing for Duke in that the two have become the top two scoring options on the team.  You will continue to see Rivers with the ball in his hands at crunch time and Curry has a constant green light to shoot on the offensive end.  Both will need to show up big against Florida State in Tallahassee this week.

Coach K on the Dan Patrick Show

Duke Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski appeared on the Dan Patrick show today where he addressed "Linsanity," an this seasons team.  When asked which president he'd have a drink with if he could, Krzyzewski responded that he'd like to have a glass of wine with George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, the founding fathers.  Patrick asked, but what if Washington was a UNC fan tongue in cheek.  Krzyzewski responded by saying, "He's not a Carolina fan or he wouldn't be after a few bottles of wine."  Kyrie Irving was also on the show and spoke of keeping up with Josh Hairston and his happiness that Rivers shot beat the aforementioned rival North Carolina.

ESPN GameDay is coming to Durham for UNC-Duke Game

The GameDay crew of Reece Davis, former Duke player Jay Bilas, former coaches Digger Phelps and Bob Knight and former UNC player Hubert Davis will broadcast live from Cameron Indoor Stadium during the North Carolina at Duke game on March 3rd.  Former players and guests will appear.  More details to come from BDN as the event nears.  In the past, some fans just come for the atmosphere and then watch the game locally.  Tickets to a Duke and UNC game are next to impossible to obtain in Cameron without giving away your first born or a large section of your wallet.

Another reminder for Greensboro

The first round of the NCAA Tournament in Greensboro will feature Duke and North Carolina and tickets are still available, so go to ticketmaster and get them now and show off your royal blue colors in an effort to move the team on.

Coach K post game comments

Here are a few comments from Coach K on yesterday's game where Terry Rains represented the Nation in these two BDN Vids

Duke Basketball

Duke should take care of business in Boston

The Duke Blue Devils (22-4, 9-2) headed north today to prepare for tomorrow evenings game against  Boston College (8-18, 3-9).  This is a game where the Blue Devils are heavily favored and for good reason.  The Eagles have won just one of their last 10 games, but that one win was over Florida State at home, so anything can happen if you overlook a team.

The problem for the Eagles is that Duke will not overlook them and there is just too big a difference in talent to think another upset is in store.  At the same time, this is one of those dreaded Sunday road games where the team just wants to get a win and then head back to Durham to prepare for the rematch with Florida State.

It's unknown whether Seth Curry will play or not after twisting his ankle but regardless, this will be a game Duke should control from the outset if they get out to a lead.  The Eagles want to keep this game in the 50's and they'll employ a methodical style trying to accomplish this.  The Eagles are led by Ryan Anderson, one of the better freshman in the league. He'll get help from fellow freshman Dennis Clifford and Patrick Heckmann, while junior Matt Humphrey provides leadership.

Duke should control the paint and will likely go to the Plumlee brothers, Mason and Miles early and often.    The Blue Devils half court defense will be key in that the Eagles only run if they can and that is not often.  Even on the road this game looks like a huge mismatch for me.  If Duke pushes their three point shooter off the line, they'll succeed.

No need for heroics in this one.  Look for Duke to dominate the boards and cruise to a 77-58 win.

Duke Basketball

Duke at Boston College Game Notes

• Game 27 •

[5 AP / 4 Coaches] Duke (22-4, 9-2) vs. Boston College (8-18, 3-9)

Sunday, February 19, 2012 • 6:00 p.m. • ESPNU

The Opening Tip

• Duke (22-4, 9-2) faces Boston College (8-18, 3-9) in an ACC road contest on Sunday, Feb. 19 at the Conte Forum. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m.

• Jon Sciambi (play-by-play) and Hubert Davis (analyst) will call the game for ESPNU.

• Duke is ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll and No. 4 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. The Blue Devils are 66-24 when ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll. Boston College is unranked in both polls.

• The Blue Devils are coming off a 78-73 win over N.C. State on Thursday. Duke outscored the Wolfpack 37-12 over the final 11:33 of action to overcome a 20-point second half deficit.

• Duke is the only team in the NCAA to rank in the top 5 in RPI, Strength of Schedule as well as the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

• The Blue Devils are currently 5-0 on the road in league play. Duke hasn’t won six straight ACC road games since the 2005-06 season.

Duke-Boston College Series

• Duke and Boston College have met 15 times heading into Sunday’s game with the first meeting between the two schools coming on Dec. 21, 1979.

• The Blue Devils lead the all-time series 13-2, including a 9-1 ledger since Boston College joined the ACC.

• Duke has won four straight and 12 of the last 13 games in the series.

• Mike Krzyzewski is 12-2 at Duke against the Eagles, including a 4-1 record at the Conte Forum.

• Seven of the 10 games since Boston College joined the ACC have been decided by 10 points or less.

• All five games in the series that have been played at the Conte Forum have been decided by 10 points or less.

• Duke and Boston College have met twice in the ACC Tournament with Duke winning both games.

Numbers Game

l The Blue Devils are 9-2 in ACC play and are one win shy of winning at least 10 conference games for the fifth straight season and the 20th time under Mike Krzyzewski.

l Duke has been ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll for 89 straight weeks, the third-longest streak in NCAA history.

l The Blue Devils have had 10 or fewer turnovers in five ACC games and leads the conference with 10.1 turnovers per game in league play. Duke had a season-low five turnovers in Thursday’s win over N.C. State, including no turnovers over the final 13 minutes of play.

l Duke is 12-3 on the year in games decided by 10 points or less. The Blue Devils have five wins in ACC play by less than 10 points.

l The Blue Devils have held seven of their 11 ACC opponents to four three-point field goals or less. ACC opponents are shooting just 28.4 percent (44-of-155) from three-point range against Duke for the second lowest percentage in the conference.

l Duke has trailed at the half in three of the last four games and has had a second half deficit of 10 points or more in three of the last four contests. The Blue Devils overcame a 13-point second half deficit to beat North Carolina (Feb. 8) and a 20-point deficit to defeat N.C. State (Feb. 16).

l The Blue Devils average 25.1 points per game off the bench. Duke has gotten double-digit scoring from the bench in 19 of 26 games this season and the bench has scored 30 or more points in 10 games.

l Austin Rivers was named ACC Rookie of the Week for the seventh time overall and the fourth straight week on Monday. Rivers’ seven selections are the third most in ACC history, while his four straight selections tie three others for the ACC’s longest streak.

l Brothers Mason and Miles Plumlee combine to average 17.9 points and 16.3 rebounds per game this season. Either Mason or Miles has led Duke in rebounding in 24 of Duke’s 26 games. The duo has also combined for 19 double-figure rebounding games on the year.

l Seth Curry has scored in double-figures in five consecutive games and is averaging 18.6 points per game in that span. He is 16-of-37 (.432) from three-point range and is also averaging 4.4 rebounds per game in the last five contests.

l Austin Rivers leads all ACC freshmen in points per game (15.0), minutes per game (32.2), double-figure scoring games (22), 20-point games (6), field goals made (131), field goal percentage (.444) and free throws made (83). He ranks second in three-pointers made (45) and steals (24).

l Mason Plumlee ranks second in the ACC in rebounding at 9.9 rpg. He is also second in the league with 14 double-figure rebounding games and has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in four straight games and six of the last seven contest.

Duke Football

Duke Football dominates All ACC Academic team

DURHAM, N.C. – Led by All-America safety Matt Daniels, Duke landed a league-high 18 selections on the 2011 Academic All-ACC Football team announced by the conference office on Wednesday morning.

Daniels was one of eight repeat picks from Duke, joining Ross Cockrell, Dave Harding, Cooper Helfet, Sean Renfree, Perry Simmons, Will Snyderwine and Donovan Varner. Daniels and Snyderwine are three-time selections to the squad.

Also representing the Blue Devils were Brandon Braxton, Jordon Byas, John Coleman, Braxton Deaver, C.J. France, Charlie Hatcher, David Helton, Dezmond Johnson, Laken Tomlinson and Juwan Thompson.

Duke led all ACC schools with 18 selections, followed by Clemson (5), Wake Forest (5), Georgia Tech (4), Maryland (4), Boston College (3), Florida State (3), N.C. State (3), Miami (2), North Carolina (2), Virginia Tech (2) and Virginia (1).

To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career. The league has selected an Academic All-ACC Football team every year since 1954.

Braxton, a wide receiver from Charlotte, N.C., had 40 pass receptions for 352 yards while Byas, a safety from Lynn Haven, Fla., registered 40 tackles including two for loss while pacing the Blue Devils in special teams tackles.

Cockrell, a cornerback from Waxhaw, N.C., carded 56 tackles on the year while ranking seventh in the ACC in total passes defended (10). Coleman, an offensive guard from Florence, S.C., started nine games in 2011 and helped Duke rush for 19 touchdowns, matching the program’s highest single-season total since 1994.

Daniels, a safety from Fayetteville, Ga., earned second team All-America and first team All-ACC honors after posting 126 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 14 pass breakups and two interceptions. Duke’s team MVP, Daniels represented the Blue Devils in the annual East-West Shrine Game last month.

Deaver, a tight end from Charlotte, N.C., caught eight passes for 107 yards while France, a linebacker from Columbus, Ga., compiled 23 tackles last fall.

Harding, an offensive lineman from Orlando, Fla., started at both center and offensive guard last season, playing a total of 751 snaps while helping Duke rank third in the ACC in sacks allowed per passing attempt. A nose guard from Hamilton, Ohio, Hatcher served as a team captain and posted 30 tackles and 2.0 quarterback sacks.

A tight end from Kentfield, Calif., Helfet received All-ACC honors after catching 43 passes for 395 yards and four touchdowns. Helton, a linebacker from Chattanooga, Tenn., saw action in nine games and finished the season with 25 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Johnson, a defensive end from Nashville, Tenn., was credited with 20 tackles, three tackles for loss and 1.0 quarterback sack while playing 369 total snaps. Renfree, a quarterback from Scottsdale, Ariz., started all 12 games in 2011 and completed 282-of-434 passes for 2,891 yards with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He established new school records for single-game pass completions (41 vs. Boston College) and single-season record for pass completion percentage (.650).

Simmons, an offensive tackle from Raleigh, N.C., started all 12 games in 2011 and played more snaps – 927 – than any other Blue Devil as Duke had the second-most prolific passing offense in the ACC. Snyderwine, a kicker from Potomac, Md., led Duke in scoring with 52 total points on eight field goals and 28 PATs. He finished his career ranking third on the school’s all-time scoring chart with 222 total points.

Thompson, a running back from Fairburn, Ga., rushed for a team-high 457 yards and seven touchdowns on 110 carries while catching 22 passes for 182 yards and one additional score. Tomlinson, an offensive guard from Chicago, Ill., was a first team Freshman All-America selection by Sporting News after starting all 12 games on the Blue Devil front.

A wide receiver from Miami, Fla., Varner caught 61 passes for 713 yards and three touchdowns on the year, becoming the first player in ACC history to have three seasons with 60-plus pass receptions. He closed his career with 208 catches – most in school history – for 2,660 yards and 13 touchdowns.