Duke laid waste to a different ACC foe on Monday, trying like a serious menace to win a nationwide title with the NCAA Match solely weeks away.
The Blue Devils vanquished Wake Forest, 93-60, for his or her fifth win by at the least 30 factors this season, tying this 12 months’s squad with the 2019-20 Blue Devils for probably the most 30-point wins in a single season in program historical past. (h/t Stathead).
Three of these wins have come prior to now seven days, together with a 97-60 win over Miami on Feb. 25, adopted by a 100-65 win on Saturday in opposition to Florida State.
Duke additionally routed Illinois (19-11, 11-8 in Huge Ten) in an out-of-conference sport on Feb. 22, profitable 110-67. Since a six-point loss to Clemson on Feb. 8, the Blue Devils have received seven in a row by a mean of 31.9 factors per sport.
They seem like probably the most harmful crew within the nation, even scarier than Related Press No. 1 Auburn (27-2, 15-1 in SEC) or the remainder of the SEC’s elite.
Whereas Duke has actually benefited from taking part in in an ACC that is at its weakest in current historical past, its current win in opposition to Illinois suggests it hasn’t merely benefited from taking part in inferior competitors.
No. 2 Duke (27-3, 18-1 in ACC) has one of many nation’s prime offenses, averaging 83.5 factors per sport following Monday’s decisive victory.
Per KenPom, the Blue Devils entered Monday No. 2 in offensive score and No. 4 in defensive score. They’re the one crew within the prime 5 in each metrics.
Freshman ahead Cooper Flagg stays within the Participant of the Yr race with Auburn senior ahead Johni Broome.
Flagg had 28 factors on 10-of-16 taking pictures in opposition to the Demon Deacons and added eight rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and two steals.
This season, he is averaging 19.6 factors, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per sport.
Duke has taken care of its enterprise and has a star able to placing the crew on his again in the course of the upcoming ACC and NCAA tournaments.
No crew has been as dominant because the Blue Devils in current weeks. It is likely to be a precursor to future occasions.
