Duke Returns To Durham To Host Virginia Tech

After three straight games on the road Duke returns to Durham to host Virginia Tech.

No. 12 Duke begins a stretch of three of four at home with Virginia Tech Wednesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

• Wednesday’s game matches up the two highest scoring teams in the ACC. Duke averages 88.8 ppg (tied for first in the NCAA), while Virginia Tech averages 83.7.
• Gary Trent, Jr., leads the ACC in three-point shooting in conference play (.500; 41/82). His overall percentage of .454 is second in the ACC and leads all NCAA freshmen. Trent has made 15 of his last 24 (.625), 37 of his last 63 (.597), and 54 of his last 101 (.535) from three-point range.
• Wendell Carter, Jr., is the only player in the nation shooting .600+ from the field, .450+ from three and .700+ at the free throw line. He leads the ACC in both overall field goal percentage (.605) and in league play (.600).
• Virginia Tech is 18-7 overall this season and is 7-5 in the ACC. The Hokies have won two straight and five of their last six games, including a win at now-No. 1 Virginia on Saturday.
• Virginia Tech has a balanced scoring attack with five players averaging double figures. Justin Bibbs is fifth among active ACC players in career scoring (1,358) and is third in career 3-point field goals (235). "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211700172

Wednesday’s game is the 55th meeting between Duke and Virginia Tech, with the Blue Devils leading 45-9. In Durham, Duke leads the series 19-1. The Hokies’ 89-75 victory last season in Blacksburg snapped Duke’s nine-game winning streak in the series. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211700172&DB_OEM_ID=4200

Duke comes into their game with a record of 20-5 while they're 8-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211700172&DB_OEM_ID=4200 and is coming off a win on the road at Georgia Tech.

Grayson Allen scored 23 points and No. 9 Duke beat Georgia Tech 80-69 on Sunday night to end a two-game losing streak. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211699891

Held to single-digits the last two games in losses at St. John's and North Carolina, Allen was 5 for 14 from the field, including three 3-pointers, and made all 10 of his free throws. He added six assists and four rebounds. It was the most points he had scored since getting 22 against Florida State on Dec. 30."according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211699891

The Blue Devils (20-5, 8-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) won without center Marvin Bagley, the ACC's leading scorer and rebounder. The freshman sat out with a mild right knee sprain. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211699891

Wendell Carter Jr. had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Gary Trent Jr. added 15 points and six rebounds."according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211699891

Josh Okogie had 29 points, six rebounds and four assists for Georgia Tech (11-14, 4-8). "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211699891

Duke scored the first nine points. The Blue Devils pulled away with a 10-0 run midway through the half, a streak punctuated by back-to-back dunks from Carter, for a 28-10 lead."according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211699891

Georgia Tech lost starting point guard Jose Alvarado to a left elbow injury with 8:14 left in the first half. He was taken to a hospital for X-rays."according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211699891

Virginia Tech meanwhile comes into their game with Duke with a record of 18-7 and 6-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference "according to http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/schedule/ and are coming off a win in overtime in Charlottesville where they knocked off Virginia who is ranked number one in this weeks AP Top 25 poll. "according to  http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings

Virginia Tech rallied from a five-point deficit with 38 seconds remaining in overtime and pulled off a stunning Commonwealth Clash win, knocking off No. 2 Virginia 61-60 in an ACC game at John Paul Jones Arena on Saturday night. "according to http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20180210aaa.html

The win marked the first time that the Hokies had beaten a top-five team on the road since downing then-No. 1 Wake Forest 78-71 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Jan. 21, 2009. It also marked their first in Charlottesville since 2012, a string of five straight losses. "according tohttp://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20180210aaa.html

The Hokies won their second straight game and their fifth in the past six contests. Tech moved to 18-7 overall, 7-5 in the ACC, and perhaps most importantly, avenged a 26-point loss to the Cavaliers on Jan. 3."according to http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20180210aaa.html

“There have been multiple games where we could have just stopped or quit or splintered apart,” Virginia Tech head coach Buzz Williams said. “It’s how their parents are. It’s the togetherness of those kids. Our staff has been phenomenal in their willingness to have high energy to coach and to help our guys be accountable in the changes we’ve made."according to http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20180210aaa.html

“I just hope we handle it in the right way. The margin in this league is unlike any time since I’ve been here. Everybody is beating up everybody. We’ve just started a very difficult stretch. I think we play three of the top-15 teams in the country over a 10-day period. Thankful for the start. We’ll have to be very mature in how we handle it going forward. There is still a long time to go.”"according to http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20180210aaa.html

Tech trailed 59-54 after Virginia’s Isaiah Wilkins made two free throws with 38 seconds remaining. But the Hokies rallied, cutting the lead to 59-56 on a Kerry Blackshear Jr. layup with 30 seconds remaining. Then after Virginia’s Devon Hall made a free throw with 29 seconds to go, Tech’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker sliced the UVA lead to 60-59 on a 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining."according to http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20180210aaa.html

Tech fouled Hall again with 13 seconds to go, and Hall missed the front end of a one-and-one. Tech’s Justin Robinson pushed the ball up the court and to the rim, but missed. Blackshear, however, got the rebound and made a tough layup, getting fouled with six seconds left. He missed the free throw, leaving the Hokies with a 61-60 lead."according to http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20180210aaa.html

Virginia had a chance to win the game in the final seconds, but Ty Jerome missed a long 3-point attempt at the buzzer, setting off a wild Tech celebration."according to http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20180210aaa.html

Robinson again paced the Hokies, scoring 20 points on 7-of-17 shooting. He also dished out seven assists. Alexander-Walker added 12 points on four 3-pointers. "according to http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20180210aaa.html

Tech shot 43.1 percent and hit 11 3-pointers, while Virginia shot a season-worst 34.4 percent. The Hokies also out-rebounded Virginia 37-36."according to http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20180210aaa.html

“I wouldn’t say strategically it’s been any change from what we’ve taught in the beginning,” Williams said of his team’s defense. “It’s just been more of an emphasis on hold one another accountable, watching tape of ourselves and literally just practicing that. No drills, no offense, nothing. Just halfcourt defense, and in my opinion, it’s an incredible credit and speaks to the character of our guys that, in early February, they were willing to accept what we were saying and figure out a way to be accountable in what we had to do.” "according to http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20180210aaa.html

GAME NOTES

• Tech’s field-goal percentage defense was its best against an ACC team this season.

• The Hokies moved to 10-1 on the season when out-rebounding their opponent.

• The Hokies have hit at least 10 3-pointers in a game on 13 occasions this season. They are 10-3 in those games.

• Robinson scored in double figures for the 12th straight game. He is averaging 17.5 points per game in that span.

• Robinson’s seven assists marked the 10th time this season in which he has dished out seven assists in a game.

• Alexander-Walker scored in double figures for the fourth time in the past five games. He is averaging 11.8 points per game in that span.

• Devin Wilson made his second consecutive start (fifth of the season) and tied a career-high with seven rebounds "according to http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20180210aaa.html

Tip-off is set for 7:00pm from Cameron Indoor Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN2. "according to http://www.goduke.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=4200&SPID=1845&SPSID=22726