Duke Is No Longer Undefeated In The Atlantic Coast Conference As Virginia Tech Handed Them Their First Atlantic Conference Loss Of The Regular Season In Blacksburg
Duke who is ranked nineteenth in this weeks AP Top 25 poll started out the Atlantic Conference portion of their regular season schedule undefeated!
Why?
Because they defeated Notre Dame in Durham North Carolina on December 16, 2020 by a score of 75-65!
How?
Matthew Hurt scored eighteen points, DJ Steward scored 16 points and collected seven rebounds while Jeremy Roach scored 14 and Jaemyn Brakefield added 10. “according to an article on goduke.com”
Then they narrowly beat Boston College by a score of 83-82!
When?
On Wednesday January 6, 2021 where Wendell Moore Jr. scored a season-high 25 points where Wendell Moore’s performance included a critical late basket, corralling an inbounds pass with 2 seconds on the shot clock and hitting an off-balance fadeaway over Jay Heath for an 80-77 lead with 43 seconds left. Then Wendell Moore added a free throw with 9.9 seconds left to make it a two-possession game, which provided just enough cushion when CJ Felder hit a 3-pointer with 1 second left for the final margin. “according to an article on goduke.com
Then they defeated Wake Forest in their first match up of the season between the two in state Atlantic Coast Conference members!
When?
On Saturday January 9, 2021!
Where?
Durham North Carolina where Matthew Hurt contributed 26 points while freshman DJ Steward contributed 21 points. “according to an article on goduke.com”
Then Duke who this week is ranked nineteenth in the AP Top 25 poll lost their first Atlantic Coast Conference match up of the season by a score of 74-67 in Blacksburg Virginia to Virginia Tech who this week is ranked twentieth in the AP Top 25 poll!
When?
Last night!
Why?
Duke was down eighteen points in the first half down to one with 13:12 remaining, but No. 20 Virginia Tech pulled away late to win 74-67 in a Top 25 matchup . “according to an article on goduke.com”
While Virginia Tech who is ranked twentieth in this weeks AP Top 25 poll won the only match up of the regular season between the Atlantic Coast Conference opponents!
Where?
Blacksburg Virginia!
Why?
Virginia Tech came out strong and kept the momentum throughout the half. Radford had the first two points of the game, giving the Hokies a lead that would last the entire 40 minutes of the game. In the first five minutes the Hokies out-scored the Blue Devils 11-2. Later in the half, tech had a 12-point run putting them up by 17, the second biggest lead of the half. Led by Radford's 14 points and eight rebounds, the Hokies had their biggest lead in an ACC contest this season with 18 points when they went up 36-18 with seven minutes remaining in the half. Duke consistently chipped away until they cut the lead to 12, ending the half with the Hokies up 46-34.
The Blue Devils came out ready to fight back and started the final 20 minutes with a nine-point run cutting the Hokies once 12-point lead to six. This run was just the beginning of a physical second half from both teams. Duke cut Virginia Techs lead to two with just under 14 minutes left in the game. Tech answered with a five-point run, and kept at least a four-point cushion for the remainder of the game. Duke fought back with another run, but Virginia Tech sealed the deal with a dunk from Justyn Mutts to go up by 10. The final score had Virginia Tech up 74-67. “according to an article on hokiesports.com”
Duke is now going to have sometime to practice and hopefully improve as their next game isn’t scheduled until Tuesday January 19th where they’re going to Pittsburgh where they’re go to match up against a former Duke player and coach!
Who?
Jeff Capel!
As a player, Jeff Capel made an immediate impact at Duke and was a four-year starter for the Blue Devils, leading the team to 83 wins and a trip to the 1994 national championship game. He racked up 1,601 points, 433 assists and 220 three-point field goals, finishing among Duke’s career leaders in minutes played, three-point field goals made, three-point field goal percentage and assists.
spent seven seasons at Duke University (2011-18), including the final four seasons as associate head coach under Mike Krzyzewski. In that span, he helped guide the Blue Devils to a 200-55 (.784) record, seven NCAA Tournament appearances, the 2017 ACC Tournament championship and the 2015 National Championship. In that time, Capel also helped secure commitments from 19 McDonald’s All-Americans as Duke signed a top-two class in each of the past five years, including the top class in 2014, 2015 and 2018. “according to Jeff Capel’s biography on https://pittsburghpanthers.com/staff-directory/jeff-capel/2489
While Virginia Tech is scheduled to play another opponent from the triangle on Saturday when they travel to Winston Salem to take on Wake Forest!
Tip off is set for 6:00pm from Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum!
The game is going to be televised on the ACC Network!