Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball: Top Five Plays From Third Straight Win

Duke basketball made more notable strides in the chemistry department against Wake Forest.

Matt Giles

Photo credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
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Albeit not always pretty and with more learning lessons along the way, it's safe to say the Duke basketball team has rebounded nicely from its February-opener loss at UNC.

RELATED: Blue Devils Draw Closer to Archrival Tar Heels in Poll

On Monday night, the No. 9 Blue Devils (19-5, 10-3 ACC) capped off their three-game winning streak at home with a gritty 77-69 victory over unranked Wake Forest (16-8, 8-5 ACC), marking the program's 25th straight win over the Demon Deacons in Durham.

And on Tuesday afternoon, Duke released highlights of the team's top five plays. Unsurprisingly, they center on the four Blue Devils who accounted for all but four of the squad's points in sophomore forwards Mark Mitchell (23) and Kyle Filipowski (21), freshman guard Jared McCain (17), and senior guard Jeremy Roach (12):

5. Filipowski drawing a double team down low before spotting Mitchell and dishing to his fellow frontcourt starter for the easy slam

4. Roach delivering a strike to Filipowski for a clutch midrange jumper to enter the break on a positive note with a 29-27 lead

3. McCain turning a defensive rebound into a stop-and-pop fastbreak 3-pointer to punctuate Duke's 7-0 run early in the second half and force a Demon Deacons timeout

2. Freshman guard Caleb Foster driving and finding Filipowski for a bruising bucket in the paint to stretch the Blue Devils' lead to 74-67 with only a minute and change to play

1. Roach responding to head coach Jon Scheyer's emotional plea to the fans and officials late in the second half (see the video below) by capitalizing on a strong Filipowski screen to drain a three near the top of the key

NEXT DUKE BASKETBALL GAME: at unranked Florida State (13-10, 7-5 ACC), 2 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN)

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Jon Scheyer Educates Critics on Two Duke Players' Fight

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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