Previewing Duke

After losing two games to open league play, No. 14/No. 17 Duke (15-3, 2-2) has bounced back with two straight wins, including Thursday night's 22-point victory over Wake Forest.

DUKE INFORMATION

SCHEDULE

ROSTER

STATS

DUKE PROJECTED STARTERS:
F- 21 DeMarcus Nelson
F- 42 Lance Thomas
C- 02 Josh McRoberts
G- 03 Greg Paulus
G- 30 Jon Scheyer

DUKE GAME NOTES
STORYLINES

Duke leads the all-time series with N.C. State 131-95, including a 40-18 mark under Mike Krzyzewski. The Blue Devils have won eight of the last 10 road games versus N.C. State, including a 4-2 slate at the RBC Center. Duke and N.C. State have played in five of the past eight ACC Tournaments. The Blue Devils won all five meetings, including wins in the championship game in 2002 and 2003. Duke is 14-8 all-time in the ACC Tournament against the Wolfpack.

Coach K owns a 266-117 record in conference regular season play, including a 116-75 mark in road games. His 266 career ACC wins is the second most in league history.

Duke is coming off its top defensive effort of the season in Thursday’s 62-40 win over Wake Forest. The 40 points allowed was a season low and tied for the third fewest allowed by Duke in an ACC contest. The Blue Devils held Wake Forest to 19 points in the second half, the sixth time this season they have limited the opposition to less than 20 points in a half.

Sophomore Greg Paulus is averaging 11.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game over the last eight contests. He has reached double-figures in scoring in six of the eight games and is shooting 48.4 percent (30-of-62) from the field, including 48.7 percent (19-of-39) from three-point distance in that time span. Paulus is coming off a 17-point effort that including a career-high five three-pointers against Wake Forest on Thursday.

Josh McRoberts is the only player in the ACC to rank in the top 10 in rebounds (sixth - 7.7 rpg.), blocks (third - 2.50 bpg.), assists (eighth - 4.22 apg.), assist-to-turnover ratio (eighth - 1.73:1) and minutes played (sixth - 34.39 pg.). He is also 24th in the league in scoring at 12.6 points per game. McRoberts is the only non-guard listed among the top 10 assist leaders in the conference and one of just two forwards among the top 10 in assist-to-turnover ratio.

Junior DeMarcus Nelson is 17th in the ACC in scoring at 14.4 ppg. He is also seventh in the league in field goal percentage (.519 - 94-of-181). In four league games, Nelson is shooting 55.6 percent (25-of-45) from the field, tied for fifth in the ACC in conference play.

David McClure is tied for second on the team in rebounds at 5.3 rpg. He is also second on the team with 25 steals, while playing 21.2 minutes per game. His 5.3 rpg. are the second most in the ACC by a non-starter (behind BC’s Shamari Spears - 6.3 rpg.). He has two double figure rebounding efforts and is averaging 7.2 rpg. in the last five contests.

Duke announced on Thursday, Jan. 11, that Shelden Williams and J.J. Redick will have their respective jersey numbers retired at separate ceremonies this season. Williams’ number 23 will be retired on January 28 and Redick’s number 4 will be retired on February 4 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The two former Blue Devil stars will be the 12th and 13th players to be honored at “Retirement Day” at Duke, joining Dick Groat (10), Art Heyman (25), Jeff Mullins (44), Mike Gminski (43), Johnny Dawkins (24), Danny Ferry (35), Christian Laettner (32), Bobby Hurley (11), Grant Hill (33), Shane Battier (31) and Jason Williams (22).

DEVILISH ON DEFENSE
Despite the departure of two-time NABC National Defensive Player of the Year Shelden Williams, Duke’s defense remains one of the best in the ACC.

The Blue Devils are giving up 55.2 points per game (eighth-lowest in the NCAA - as of Jan. 15) as well as just 27.1 percent (68-of-251) shooting from three-point distance. Duke is allowing the opposition to shoot 39.0 percent (381-of-977) overall from the field, second-best in the ACC.

Duke has held 13 opponents under 56 points in a game, including six foes under 50 points this season. In wins over Columbia, Holy Cross, UNC Greensboro and Wake Forest, the Blue Devils forced more turnovers than their opponents had made field goals.

102ND SEASON OF BASKETBALL
Duke is in its 102nd season of basketball in 2006-07. The Blue Devils have compiled a 1,811-814 record to rank fourth all-time in victories.

DUKE IN ELITE VICTORY CLUB
With its 71-56 win over Air Force in the semifi nals of the CBE Classic on Nov. 20, 2006, Duke became just the fourth school in NCAA history to have earned at least 1,800 all-time wins. Now with 1,811 wins, the Blue Devils join Kentucky (1,941), North Carolina (1,897) and Kansas (1,887) as members of the 1,800-win club.

SUSTAINED SUCCESS
Duke has won 20 or more games 41 times in its 102 years of basketball. Including a 32-4 mark last year, Duke has won 20+ games for 10 straight seasons. The Blue Devils have won 30 or more games nine times, including six times in the last nine seasons. All nine 30+ win seasons have come under Coach K.

COACH K MOVING UP VICTORY LADDER
Mike Krzyzewski is one of just 19 coaches in Division I history to reach 700 career wins. His 768 wins is ninth all-time among college basketball’s victory leaders (third among active coaches).

TRIO OF CAPTAINS
Junior DeMarcus Nelson, sophomore Greg Paulus and sophomore Josh McRoberts were named team captains for the 2006-07 season. Paulus and McRoberts are the fi rst sophomores to be named team captains in the 102-year history of the Duke men’s basketball program.

NELSON LEADING THE WAY
Junior DeMarcus Nelson leads the Blue Devils in scoring (14.4 ppg.), fi eld goals (94) and steals (28). He is also second in three-point percentage (39.1 pct.) and rebounding (5.3 rpg.). Nelson, a preseason Naismith Trophy candidate, is shooting 51.9 percent (94-of-181) from the fi eld. Nelson has scored in double-fi gures 30 times in his career, including 15 times this season. Duke is 25-5 in such games. Nelson’s scoring average is up 7.3 points from a season ago, the eighth largest increase in the ACC this season.

SUPER SOPH
Josh McRoberts is the only player in the ACC to rank in the top 10 in rebounds (sixth - 7.7 rpg.), blocks (third - 2.50 bpg.), assists (eighth - 4.22 apg.), assist-to-turnover ratio (eighth - 1.73:1) and minutes played (sixth - 34.39 pg.). The 6-10, 240- pound forward is also the only player in the country averaging over 10.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 blocks per game.

FAB FRESHMAN
Freshman Jon Scheyer has been one of Duke’s most consistent players through 18 games. The Northbrook, Ill., native has reached double-fi gures in scoring 11 times and is third on the team in scoring at 11.7 ppg. He is shooting 37.9 percent (33-of-87) from three-point distance and is seventh in the ACC in treys (1.83 pg).

Scheyer has made three or more three-point field goals six times this season. He is also fourth in the conference in free throw percentage (.843 - 59-of-70). He was named the ACC Rookie of the Week on Dec. 26 after averaging 15.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in Duke wins over Kent State and 22nd-ranked Gonzaga. Scheyer scored a career-high 25 points in an 85-63 win over Miami. He went 5-of-8 from the field, including 4-of-6 from three-point distance in the contest. Scheyer was also 11-of-11 from the free throw line, becoming just the 13th player (22 times) in Duke history to make all his free throws while attempting at least 10 in a game.

PAULUS AT THE POINT
Sophomore Greg Paulus is averaging 8.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. He is also shooting a team-high 46.8 percent (29-of-62) from three-point range. Paulus has 18 career double-figure scoring games, including a career-high 20 points against Gonzaga on Dec. 21. Paulus knocked down a career-best five treys and fi nished with 17 points in a win over Wake Forest on Jan. 18.

MCCLURE PROVIDES SPARK
David McClure has been a big reason the Blue Devils hold a +6.5 rebounding advantage over the opposition this season. The Ridgefield, Conn., native is tied for second on the team in rebounding at 5.3 rpg., while playing 21.2 minutes per game. He has grabbed at least five rebounds in 11 contests, including double-figure efforts against Temple (12) and Miami (11). McClure is also averaging 4.6 points and shooting 55.2 percent (32-of-58) from the field. He is second on the team with 25 steals, including a career-high seven in a win over UNC Greensboro.