With Duke's Win Over Notre Dame, Louisville's Loss To Clemson Duke Is Now In First Place In The Atlantic Coast Conference Standings

It’s a long season and with the long season things can change.

On Saturday things did change!

Duke defeated Notre Dame in Durham

. Vernon Carey Jr. scored 21 points, Tre Jones added 19 and No. 7 Duke used a high-intensity man-to-man defense to beat Notre Dame 94-60 Saturday for its seventh straight win.

Duke's relentless defensive pressure rattled an opponent that's usually steady on offense, leading to the lopsided score. Notre Dame entered the game averaging 9.75 turnovers per game, fewest in the nation, but turned the ball over nine times in the first half. The Irish (15-10, 6-8) had success when they were able to get the ball inside to Juwan Durham, whose 21 points marked a career high, and John Mooney, who scored 19. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-7-duke-powers-past-irish-94-60.aspx

But just as often, the Blue Devils' defense pushed Notre Dame far from the basket, forced a turnover and was off to the races in transition. The Blue Devils outscored Notre Dame 13-0 on the fast break in the first half and 24-7 for the game.”according to https://goduke.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-7-duke-powers-past-irish-94-60.aspx

If a fast-break opportunity didn't present itself, the Blue Devils delivered the ball to Carey on the block, where neither Mooney nor Durham could stop him. Carey shot 8 of 10 from the field and took control of the game after the Blue Devils led just 20-19 with eight minutes to play in the first half.”according to https://goduke.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-7-duke-powers-past-irish-94-60.aspx

Carey made a left-handed hook shot, scored on a post-up, and sank a 3-pointer from in front of the Notre Dame bench as Duke scored nine straight points to stretch its lead to 29-19.”according to https://goduke.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-7-duke-powers-past-irish-94-60.aspx

While Louisville lost in Clemson South Carolina to Clemson.

Johnny Newman III had a career-high 23 points and Clemson used a strong dehttps://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspxfensive first half to send No. 5 Louisville to its second straight defeat, 77-62 on Saturday. “according to

The Tigers (13-12, 7-8 Atlantic Coast Conference) held the Cardinals to their lowest first-half output this season as they led 31-14 at the break and limited the ACC's leading scorer Jordan Nwora to five points. “according tohttps://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

After Louisville cut a 21-point lead to 44-34 on Dwayne Sutton's jumper with 9:49 left, Clemson took off on an 11-2 run to put the Cardinals in a hole they could not climb out of.”according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

Tevin Mack's basket started Clemson's clinching surge, then Aamir Simms, Newman and Alex Hemenway added 3s to restore the large lead.”according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

Louisville (21-5, 12-3) could not rally, losing consecutive games for just the second time this season.”according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

Coupled with Clemson's 79-72 win over then third-ranked Duke on Jan. 14, the Tigers topped a pair of top five teams for the first time since the 1979-80 season.”according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

Fans rushed the court when the final buzzer sounded, surrounding players and cheering Clemson's victory. “according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

Mack finished with 14 points and Simms 13 for the Tigers.”according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

Clemson coach Brad Brownell was disappointed with his team's defensive play in an 80-62 loss at Louisville last month. He have few complaints in the rematch as the Tigers swarmed Louisville and Nwora throughout.”according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

Nwora's only basket was a 3-pointer with 1:52 to play that drew his team within 11 points, as close as they'd come down the stretch.”according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

The slump dropped Louisville out of first in the ACC after No. 7 Duke topped Notre Dame on Saturday to improve to 12-2 in the league.”according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

Nwora had a season-low two points (he shot 1 of 6 from the field) in the loss at Georgia Tech and Cardinals coach Chris Mack gave freshman Samuell Williamson his first start of the season. “according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

But even when Nwora returned, it didn't help the Cardinals much in the opening half as they struggled to penetrate Clemson's defense.”according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

Louisville made only five of its 32 field-goal attempts the first 20 minutes to trail 31-14 at the break - a season low in first-half scoring for the Cardinals.”according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

The Tigers, who have often struggled to make shots this year, had no such trouble early on. They made their first five attempts (including 3-pointers by Johnny Newman and Mack) to take a 12-5 lead that they increased to 17 points by halftime.”according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

The Cardinals finished the period going 1-of-16 shooting from the field.”according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

Sutton led Louisville with 18 points. “according to https://gocards.com/news/2020/2/15/mens-basketball-no-5-louisville-falls-at-clemson-77-62.aspx

What does Louisville’s loss to Clemson mean?

It means that Duke is now in first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference while Louisville is now in second place.

Duke has an overall record of 22-3 while they’re 12-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference while Louisville meanwhile has a record of 21-5 but they have one more loss then Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference “according to http://www.theacc.com/standings.aspx?standings=40

As for the rest of the Atlantic Coast Conference standings, They look like this.

1. Duke

2. Louisville

3. Florida State

4. Virginia

5. NC State

6. Syracuse

7. Clemson

8. Notre Dame

9. Virginia Tech

10. Boston College

11. Georgia Tech

12. Pitt

13. Miami

14. Wake Forest

15. North Carolina