Top Ranked Duke Routes Clemson In Atlantic Coast Conference Opener

Despite the sluggish start after not playing for seventeen days top ranked Duke opened their Atlantic Coast Conference slate with a rout of Clemson in Durham.

Freshman Zion Williamson had 25 points, 10 rebounds and a spectacular 360-degree dunk, and No. 1 Duke beat Clemson 87-68 on Saturday night in its Atlantic Coast Conference opener.”according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211785688&DB_OEM_ID=4200

RJ Barrett, the ACC's leading scorer, finished with 13 points while freshman point guard Tre Jones had 10 points and a season-best nine assists. Jack White added 12 points and Marquise Bolden had 11 for the Blue Devils (12-1, 1-0), who shot 48 percent and turned 19 Clemson turnovers into 27 points. “according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211785688&DB_OEM_ID=4200

Playing their first game in 16 days, they needed roughly 20 minutes to shake off the rust before scoring the first 14 points of the second half to break it open and cruise to their seventh straight win. “according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211785688&DB_OEM_ID=4200

Marcquise Reed scored 15 points, Elijah Thomas finished with 14 and Shelton Mitchell had 11, but the Tigers (10-4, 0-1) had their four-game winning streak snapped. “according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211785688&DB_OEM_ID=4200

Williamson -- who was recruited hard by Clemson with his hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina, is an hour's drive from the Tigers' campus -- put on a show after halftime with a pair of slick drives down the lane for layup immediately before Barrett's jumper gave Duke its first 20-point lead with just under 17 minutes left. “according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211785688&DB_OEM_ID=4200

The best slam of Williamson's highlight-filled freshman season came a few minutes later, with his steal from Mitchell near midcourt leading to his breakaway 360. “according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211785688&DB_OEM_ID=4200

With the win Duke improves to 1-0 in ACC play while Clemson drops to 0-1 in league play. . Duke will return to the hardwood on Tuesday night when they have their first road game of the Atlantic Coast Conference schedule when they make the trip to Winston Salem to take on Wake Forest on Tuesday night.