Early celebration: 3 takeaways from Duke's ACC home win over Virginia Tech

Steve Wiseman, The News & Observer on Dec 31, 2024

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DURHAM, N.C. — Having relied on suffocating defense all season, No. 4 Duke has found its shooting touch, and that could mean bad news for the ACC.

The Blue Devils routed Virginia Tech, 88-65, on Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium by shooting 53.4% from the field and nailing 11 3-pointers.

It’s the second game in a row Duke (11-2, 3-0 ACC) has shot better than 50%, with the Blue Devils having hit a season-best 56.4% of their shots in an 82-56 win at Georgia Tech on Dec. 21.

Cooper Flagg led the Blue Devils with 24 points as they ran their winning streak to seven consecutive games. Tyrese Proctor and Kon Knueppel each scored 13 while Sion James finished with 10 points.

Tobi Lawal scored 19 points for Virginia Tech (5-8, 0-2 ACC).

Duke led 37-27 at halftime, then shot 66.7% in the second half to pull away even further.

Here are three takeaways from the latest Duke win:

Hokies found rare success

The Blue Devils have relied heavily on their usually effective defense to frustrate opponents all season.

Duke only allows 58.5 points per game and are No. 2 nationally in defensive efficiency, per KenPom.com, by allowing 87.6 points per 100 possessions.

But Virginia Tech, though suffering a one-sided defeat, shot and scored better against Duke than most teams. the Hokies shot 46%, becoming just the third team this season to shoot 40% or better against the Blue Devils. Kansas and Auburn were the others.

Virginia Tech also made 8 of 21 3-point attempts (38.1%). That’s far better than how Duke’s opponents have fared this season as the Blue Devils entered Tuesday’s game having allowed their foes to make 28.6% of their 3-pointers.

Sion James — that’s right — leads rebounding

Duke easily won the rebounding battle, finishing with 33 rebounds to Virginia Tech’s 21. The Blue Devils are the nation’s tallest team, so that makes sense.

But what’s surprising is that 6-6 guard Sion James was Duke’s leading rebounder with 11. James had averaged 4.0 rebounds per game over Duke’s first 12 contests. But Tuesday’s game was the third time James has grabbed eight or more rebounds in a game this season.

James set his single-game career high in rebounding, besting his previous high total by one. Last March 14, while playing for Tulane, he grabbed 10 rebounds during an 81-71 American Athletic Conference tournament loss to North Texas. That was James’ final game with the Green Wave before transferring to Duke.

Old friend Jaden Schutt returns

After spending two seasons with the Blue Devils, 6-5 guard Jaden Schutt left the program last spring and landed at Virginia Tech via the NCAA transfer portal.

Schutt played 14 games for Duke during the 2022-23 season before sitting out last season to take a medical redshirt.

He’s had a larger role with the Hokies, starting every game while averaging 9.3 points per game.

That meant he was introduced on Tuesday with the starting lineups. The Cameron Crazies normally yell “You suck!” when each opposing player’s name is called. But they paused that tradition for Schutt.

After making 35% of his 3-pointers during his freshman season with Duke, Schutt had made 36.8% of them this season entering Tuesday’s game.

He made 1 of 6 against Duke, finishing with three points in 23 minutes of play during his first Cameron experience as a visiting player.