Duke will have their second opportunity to sweep a team this season. After failing to complete the season sweep of Notre Dame, Duke will look to beat Wake Forest for the second time this season. With a win, Duke would be back to over .500 on the season.
Wake Forest is near the basement of the ACC. The Demon Deacons are 3-9 in the conference and 6-9 overall, and are currently third to last in the conference. Wake Forest started 0-6 in conference play but has managed to go a respectable 3-3 over their last six games. They are coming off an impressive performance against 17th ranked Florida State, where they took the Florida State to overtime on the road.
What to watch for:
What defense shows up for Duke?
It is well documented that Duke’s defense has been a disaster for much of the season. Against NC State, Duke looked like an entirely different team on the defensive end of the floor. Has the team flipped a switch, or was the NC State game simply an outlier?
Daivien Williamson, Ismael Massoud
In the first Duke-Wake Forest matchup this season, Williamson and Massoud were the only players that had any real success for Wake Forest. Both players finished with 17 points, and no other Demon Deacon cracked double digits scoring. The way Duke defends these two in hopes of not giving up repeat performances will be something to monitor.
Can Duke own the paint?
Wake Forest offers little to no rim protection. They rank 286th in the country at blocks per game at 2.2 per game. This team struggles to stop opponents from getting to the rim and finishing without much resistance. Mark Williams could be in line for a big game.
How are minutes distributed after Jalen Johnson’s departure?
With Jalen Johnson having opted out of the rest of the season, this will have an impact on the rotation. While Johnson’s minutes had been decreasing of late, he was still in the rotation and his minutes will need to be replaced. Jalen’s departure could mean more minutes for players such as Mark Williams, Jaemyn Brakefield, and Henry Coleman.