Can the Blue Devils' Dominant Paint Performance Foreshadow More Success?
The Duke Blue Devils have once again demonstrated their dominance on the court with a resounding 63-46 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies. The Blue Devils, unranked this season, showcased an impressive turnaround against the 14th-ranked Hokies. The home team's record now stands at an impressive 1-0, while Virginia Tech has fallen to 0-1.
The game at Cameron Indoor Stadium was a display of tactical execution by the Blue Devils. After a slow start in the first quarter with only seven points, they surged ahead in the third quarter by adding an outstanding 27 points to their tally. This remarkable effort was part of what secured their lead and eventual victory.
The Blue Devils excelled particularly in scoring from inside the paint, contributing a significant 30 points from that area alone. Their shooting accuracy was notable as well, with a solid field goal percentage of 42 and an even more impressive two-point shooting percentage of 47. Free throws were another area where Duke outperformed Virginia Tech; they made nine out of twelve attempts, translating to a commendable free throw percentage of 75.
Defensively, Duke also stood out with ten steals and five blocks during the game, demonstrating their ability to disrupt Virginia Tech's offensive flow effectively. The defensive prowess extended to rebounding as well; Duke collected a total of 39 rebounds compared to Virginia Tech's 34.
Virginia Tech struggled throughout much of the game against Duke's robust defense and efficient offense. They managed only five steals and three blocks while committing thirteen personal fouls and twenty turnovers—a stark contrast to Duke’s tighter control over ball possession which resulted in just twelve turnovers for them.
Despite being outplayed by Duke in several aspects of the game including fast break points where they scored nineteen compared to none for Virginia Tech—the Hokies did show some resilience especially during the first quarter where they put up eighteen points but couldn't sustain that performance throughout subsequent quarters.
Looking ahead for fans of the Blue Devils: The next challenge will be on January 21st when they face off against North Carolina State Wolfpack at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh at noon local time (5 PM GMT). Fans can catch all live action on ACC Network channel number six hundred twelve.