Duke basketball couldn’t string together back-to-back winning games at Wake Forest on Saturday.
In front of a sellout crowd at Joel Coliseum, which included a host of tie-dyed fans, the eight-ranked Blue Devils lost 83–79 to the Demon Deacons.
In a game that included 14 ties and 14 lead changes, Duke (21-6, 12-4 ACC) held off Wake Forest (18-9, 10-6) with four turnovers in the final two minutes. The first of the 2024 NCAA Tournament brackets should make the Demon Deacons feel a lot better about Selection Sunday.
Duke had won 29 consecutive games when leading at the half before Wake Forest ended that streak on Saturday. Here’s what unfolded from the Blue Devils’ loss to the Ducks.
Wake Forest’s Hunter Sallis was the best player on the court
Hunter Sallis had 22 points in Wake Forest’s loss at Duke. Sallis had 23 points with less than 16 minutes remaining in the rematch at Joel Coliseum. The Gonzaga transfer made 11 of his 13 shots in a stellar scoring effort against the Devils, including five 3-pointers. He finished with 29 points.
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Wake Forest didn’t feel Duke’s defense
During their five-game winning streak, Duke allowed an average of 61.8 points per game and limited teams to 38.7% shooting over that span. The Demon Deacons did not feel pressure from the Devils this weekend, shooting 60% from the field. Wake Forest got what it needed offensively in the second half, making 69.6% of its shots.
Quiet game for Duke basketball’s Mark Mitchell
Duke was 30–3 when Mark Mitchell reached double figures. Mitchell, who equaled his career high with 23 points against Wake Forest in Durham, finished with six points on 2-of-5 shooting at Winston-Salem. Duke had 45 points in the Blue Devils’ backcourt.
Staff writer Rod Baxley can be contacted at[email protected] Or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
