Duke Looks To Avoid A Third Straight Loss As They Visit Georgia Tech

After suffering their  second straight loss Thursday night on the road at North Carolina Duke visits Georgia Tech where they hope to end their two game losing skid.

No. 9 Duke completes a three-game road swing Sunday night with a match-up against Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

• Led by Marvin Bagley III’s 21.2 points, Duke has five averaging in doubles figures. The Blue Devils have an effective field goal percentage of .573 (15th nationally) and are second in offensive efficiency (126.9).
• Bagley is bidding to be the first Blue Devil and the league’s first freshman, to lead the ACC in scoring and rebounding. Of the 12 previous ACC players to accomplish it, eight have won the league’s Player of the Year Award.
• Gary Trent, Jr. is second in the ACC in both overall three-point field goal percentage (.447) and in ACC play (.488). For the season, his .447 percentage leads all NCAA freshman.
• Georgia Tech is 11-13 on the season and 4-7 in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets are 10-5 at home this year.
• After missing the first eight games of the season, Josh Okogie has led Georgia Tech in scoring (18.4).

Sunday’s game is the 95th meeting between Duke and Georgia Tech, with the Blue Devils leading 71-23. The Blue Devils’ 10-game winning streak in the series is its longest active streak against ACC opponents. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211699651

North Carolina went from looking a step slow and struggling to keep Duke's touted freshmen off the boards to roaring out of halftime with an aggressive edge on the way to a rousing win. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

Duke comes into their game with Georgia Tech with a record of 19-5 while they're 7-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and are coming off a loss  to their rival eight miles down the road Thursday night.

North Carolina went from looking a step slow and struggling to keep Duke's touted freshmen off the boards to roaring out of halftime with an aggressive edge on the way to a rousing win. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

Maybe the 21st-ranked Tar Heels just needed their fiercest rival to bring out something that had been missing for weeks."according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

Joel Berry II scored 21 points and UNC hung on late to beat the ninth-ranked Blue Devils 82-78 on Thursday night, capping an emotional performance that included a comeback from a dozen down in the first half."according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

The Tar Heels (18-7, 7-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) had recently emerged from their first three-game losing streak in four years by beating the only team (Pittsburgh) yet to win a league game. And they had struggled to find much of a confidence-building flow."according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

Until Thursday, with the Blue Devils (19-5, 7-4) in the Smith Center in front of a crowd operating at ear-ringing levels. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

"Once everybody got going," said Kenny Williams, who matched his career high with 20 points, "we proved to ourselves how good we can be." "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

The Tar Heels had four players score at least 15 points, including Pittsburgh graduate transfer Cameron Johnson going for 18 points and 13 rebounds in his first taste of the Duke-UNC rivalry. And that helped the Tar Heels reverse a first-half rebounding struggle against Duke's bigger front line of Marvin Bagley III and Wendell Carter Jr., and dominate the glass after halftime. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

"Everybody crashed the boards," said senior Theo Pinson, who had seven rebounds. "We told them at halftime: Me and Luke (Maye) are going to do everything we can to keep Carter and Bagley off the boards. You have to come in and rebound." "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

UNC finished with a 28-17 rebounding advantage after halftime that included 15 offensive rebounds, a sign of how the Tar Heels were outworking the Blue Devils as they turned the game out of the break."according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

"The start of the second half, they played great," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said, "and we were awful." "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

The Tar Heels opened the second half on a 16-2 run to erase what was left of Duke's early lead and go ahead for good. UNC led 61-51 at the end of its run and played from in front the rest of the way."according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

"We turned a four-point lead into a 10-point deficit," Duke senior Grayson Allen said. "That's hard to come back from against a really good team." according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

The Tar Heels were tough enough to win despite going just 2 for 18 from the field in the final 8 minutes, while they tied a program record by having just two turnovers for the entire game. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

Duke got as close as 74-71 late, and freshman Gary Trent Jr. (team-high 16 points) missed a corner 3-pointer for the tie with 3:33 left. Johnson responded with a huge 3 for the Tar Heels, who got Pinson's dunk off the press break with 11.1 seconds left to all but seal it."according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

BIG PICTURE

Duke: The Blue Devils were coming off Saturday's loss to a St. John's team that was 0-11 in the Big East -- the Red Storm stunningly followed that with a road upset of No. 1 Villanova -- in a performance that Krzyzewski described as "disgusting" and not up to the program's standards. It looked like Duke was ready to bounce back in the first half, but the Blue Devils couldn't match UNC's second-half surge. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

UNC: Thursday's run after halftime -- and their composure for much of the second half, for that matter -- was some of the best basketball the Tar Heels have played in weeks."according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

OUTSIDE PUNCH

Williams' 20 points included six 3-pointers, tying the record for a UNC player against Duke held by current assistant coach Hubert Davis since 1992. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

POINT PLAY

Berry overcame a 7-for-20 shooting day and finished with six assists, four rebounds and two steals in his matchup with touted freshman point guard Trevon Duval. Duval had nine points on 2-for-9 shooting before fouling out with 3:23 left, including a flashy first-half dunk that fired up Berry."according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

"That's why I started picking him up full-court and just trying to get into him," Berry said, "letting him know that you're still a freshman and I don't care how good you are, one and done, that doesn't scare me. I'm a competitor and I'm going to come to compete each and every day." "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211695855

Like Duke Georgia Tech is also coming off a loss on the road Thursday night as they lost at Louisville.

Jordan Nwora had 16 points and five of Louisville's 12 3-pointers, Anas Mahmoud added 12 points and Louisville added solid defense to rout Georgia Tech 77-54 Thursday night and end a three-game losing streak. "according to http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/020818aac.html

Playing their third game in six days and without leading scorer Deng Adel (ankle injury), the Cardinals got contributions from everybody in breaking their slide. A 13-1 run over 3:50 in the first half provided a 24-8 lead and the advantage reached 24 with 4:40 remaining. "according to http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/020818aac.html

Louisville (17-8, 7-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) finished 27 of 54 from the field and 12 of 20 from behind the arc. The Cardinals also forced 20 turnovers for 21 points. "according to http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/020818aac.html

Ray Spalding and Malik Williams each added 11 points as the Cardinals regulars provided balanced scoring and had 18 assists against just 10 turnovers. "according to http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/020818aac.html

Josh Okogie had 25 points and 10 rebounds for Georgia Tech (11-13, 4-7), which lost for sixth time in seven games."according to http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/020818aac.html

BIG PICTURE

Georgia Tech: Other than the beginning of both halves, the young Yellow Jackets couldn't keep up with Louisville. While they won the boards 36-32 and made 7 of 13 from long range, they also shot just 36 percent and struggled against Louisville's active defense. Jose Alvarado added 11 points. "according to http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/020818aac.html

Louisville: The Cardinals needed this one after consecutive close losses, playing solid all around to halt their slide. In the first half alone, they shut out Tech 17-0 in bench points and 13-1 off 10 turnovers. A three-guard starting lineup of Darius Perry, VJ King and Quentin Snider (seven assists) helped pushed a quick pace, while Nwora was strong from long range. Spalding, despite playing on an injured ankle himself, and Mahmoud controlled the paint "according to http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/020818aac.html

Which team will execute their game plan and get back in the win column on Sunday night?

Tip -off is set for 6:00pm from McCamish Pavilion . The game will be televised on ESPN. "according to http://www.goduke.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=4200&SPID=1845&SPSID=22726