Just enough: Three takeaways as Duke basketball avoids an upset bid from Wake Forest

Duke’s worst shooting day in ACC play this season put its perfect league record and the nation’s longest active winning streak in jeopardy on Saturday.

In a hostile environment at Wake Forest, with a sold-out crowd at Joel Coliseum, the Blue Devils found just enough scoring to stave off an upset.

Freshman Cooper Flagg scored 24 points, and Tyrese Proctor and Mason Gillis hit key 3-pointers late, as No. 2 Duke beat Wake Forest 63-56.

The Blue Devils (17-2, 9-0 ACC) extended their winning streak to 13 games on a day when they had their worst shooting (36.8% from the field) in ACC play this season. Duke made 1 of its first 19 shots of the second half, seeing a 13-point halftime lead become a 45-39 deficit with 9 minutes, 55 left.

“We were so stagnant in that second half,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said, “and these guys just made some big-time plays. Obviously Coop just like he does. I thought he was really, down the stretch, incredible. But Mason Gillis, you know what Mason did is off the charts, man. He wasn’t phased at all.”

Once Duke ended its skid, though, it went on a 14-2 tear to regain the lead for good.

Flagg started it with a fadeaway jumper with 8:09 to play before Kon Knueppel scored in the lane.

After Juke Harris scored inside, Gillis hit a 3-pointer that cut Wake’s lead to 47-46, and Flagg scored on a spin move in the lane that gave Duke a 48-47 lead with 5:40 left.

Proctor hit a free throw and Flagg scored on a slam dunk before hitting two free throws that gave Duke a 10-0 run and a 53-47 lead with 3:52 left.

Proctor, who epitomized Duke’s shooting struggles on Saturday, hit one of the biggest shots of the game. He’d hit just 1 of his first 11 shots, missing all six 3-pointers. But with Duke clinging to a 53-49 lead and the shot clock winding down, he swished a 3-pointer that gave the Blue Devils a 56-49 lead with 2:15 to play.

“Tyrese couldn’t throw a pea in the ocean,” Duke freshman forward Kon Knueppel said. “Sometimes it happens. But I told him right after the game, he hit the biggest one and that’s all that matters. You gotta knock down the shot when it means the most.”

With Duke up 56-52, Gillis hit a 3-pointer from the corner that extended Duke’s lead to 59-52 lead with 52.2 seconds to play.

Knueppel scored 14 points for Duke, while Gillis added 11.

Wake Forest (15-5, 7-2 ACC) lost for the first time in 11 home games this season.

Here are three takeaways from Duke’s latest win.

Duke hot-shooting streak ends

The Blue Devils entered Saturday having shot 50% or better in seven consecutive games, a streak that helped them become the nation’s No. 4 team in offensive efficiency (124.7, per KenPom.com).

That ended even in winning performance at Wake Forest as the Blue Devils hit only 28.6% of their second-half shots (8 of 26). The Blue Devils went 0 for 13 to start the second half, where it took them 8:06 of play after halftime to finally make a field goal.

Duke hit 9 of 32 3-pointers in the game (28.1%).

It’s not totally surprising, given the Demon Deacons have been a strong defense this season. Wake entered with a 45.9% effective field goal percentage defense. That’s No. 27 nationally. The Blue Devils were at 57.4% (No. 7 nationally).

Duke defense locked down Wake early

The Blue Devils spent the week between their 88-63 win at Boston College and Saturday’s return to the court at Wake working to fine-tune their already strong defense.

The efforts showed immediately as Wake Forest made 3 of its first 17 shots, missing all six of their 3-pointers. That helped Duke jump to a 17-6 lead.

Wake never drew closer than four points the rest of the first half as Duke took a 35-22 halftime lead. The Demon Deacons shot 29.6% in the first half, going 0 for 9 on 3-pointers. Wake Forest scored a paltry .625 points per possession in the game’s first 20 minutes. That’s against a Duke defense that’s allowed teams to score .88 points per possession this season (No. 2 nationally per KenPom.com).

Wake’s 22 points were the fewest Duke has allowed in the first half to an ACC opponent this season.

The Deacs turned that around, though, starting the second half, making 6 of 11 shots in making their comeback.

Because of foul trouble Duke turned to some zone defense, which the Blue Devils had only played in five possessions all season. It slowed Wake and allowed Duke to get the win.

“We’ve kept it our back pocket, just in case,” Scheyer said. “And it’s good to have a curve ball. It just is. Even if it’s not, maybe, the best zone in the world.”

Wake shot 37.3% for the game, hitting only 3 of 18 3-pointers.

Wake stars held in check

Wake Forest has challenged Duke’s lead in the ACC standings behind strong play from Hunter Sallis (19.2 points per game) and Cam Hildreth (14.2 points per game).

During the six-game winning streak the Deacons carried into Saturday’s game, Sallis had averaged 22.2 points on 52% shooting.

But Sallis and Hildreth combined for just 16 points against Duke as Hildreth picked up three first-half fouls and Sallis struggled to find his shooting touch.

Sallis finished with 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting, while Hildreth scored four points, on 1-of-7 shooting, before fouling out.

“I thought our individual defense was high level,” Scheyer said. “Tyrese, Sion (James). We switched so much, so everybody has to guard the ball. I thought it started with our individual defense, trying to mix it up with some different looks with them.”