As was posted earlier today, Tim killed it with perfect picks. We didn’t even have to go to the tiebreaker even though a few of you got the rebounds total from that Duke/UNC game right on the money at 77. Check out how you did below. (Make sure to click on the Session Four sheet tab along the bottom of the screen.)

THE DUCK SHOP ACC BASKETBALL PICK EM CONTEST SPREADSHEET

With the regular season ending on March 3rd, this session will run through that last day. I’ll add in a couple extra games to make things interesting. Good luck, Go Duke, and Go to hell Carolina!

As always, leave your picks in a comment down below this post, registering with your name and email address so I can get in touch with you if/when you win.

Please only type who you think will be the winner on each line. If you see the spreadsheet, you’ll see it’s easier for me that way. Please also only use the name of the university like I posted below. The mascots make my job a little harder.

SESSION FIVE GAMES

1. Virginia Tech @ Duke 2/25/12 NOON game, get your picks in 5 minutes prior to tip
2. Maryland @ Georgia Tech 2/25/12
3. UNC @ Virginia 2/25/12
4. NC State @ Clemson 2/25/12
5. Florida State @ Miami 2/26/12
6. Miami @ NC State 2/29/12
7. Florida State @ Virginia 3/1/12
8. Wake Forest @ Georgia Tech 3/3/12
9. UNC @ Duke 3/3/12
10. Clemson @ Florida State 3/4/12
11. Virginia @ Maryland 3/4/12
12. NC State @ Virginia Tech 3/4/12
13. Tiebreaker: Total points scored in Duke/UNC game on 3/3

I’d like to blame it on the extreme state of euphoria I was in after Austin Rivers stuck a dagger in Tyler Zeller’s eye and in the hearts of Tar Heel fans all over the world so we’ll stick with that.

Moving on to the results, congratulations are in order to Tim who picked every game correctly over this last two week period. I have to say, it was a lot of fun marking the blocks red for all of you who picked UNC to beat Duke. NEVER PICK AGAINST DUKE! Check out the full results below and as always, please let me know if I need to make any corrections.

Tim wins the book pictured to the right An Illustrated History of Duke Basketball — A Legacy of Achievement penned by legendary Duke writer Bill Brill (the media room is named for him in Cameron Indoor Stadium) and Wall Street Journal writer and Duke graduate Ben Cohen.

THE DUCK SHOP ACC BASKETBALL PICK EM CONTEST SPREADSHEET

I’ll have a post up soon with the Session Five games so keep picking as there is a cumulative prize at the end of the season.

Seth Curry has been on a hot streak lately and this game’s performance did not veer off course. For the season, Curry puts up an efficient 1.42 points per shot (the ACC leader is Wake’s CJ Harris at 1.62). By using only 8 shots to score 18 points, the Duke combo guard scored 2.25 points for every shot he took. His 7-7 mark at the free throw line helped this number be so high. Once again, Miles Plumlee was a beast on the boards, grabbing 10 including a monster putback on Austin Rivers’ missed three-pointer just before the first half buzzer. Highlights and box score are below.

Duke looks for some revenge in Tallahassee against Florida State on Thursday night at 7 PM.

Want to know how all the teams did in these metrics? Look below. The percentage stats are on one graph and the numerical stats are in another, to make the graphs more readable. Click the images to enlarge.

Boston College

 

Clemson

 

Duke

 

Florida State 

 

Georgia Tech

 

Maryland

 

Miami

 

NC State

 

UNC

 

UVA

 

Virginia Tech

 

Wake Forest

 

By Chad Lykins — Overcoming their largest halftime deficit (16-points) in the Mike Krzyzewski era and even being down by 20-points with 11 1/2 minutes left in their ACC contest against the North Carolina State Wolfpack, the Duke Blue Devils (22-4, 9-2) once again dug down deep and found a way to pull out a victory over the Wolfpack, keeping them in the top tier of the ACC (along with North Carolina and Florida State). With that win, making it their third straight victory, the Blue Devils will go on the road as they will travel to the Conte Forum to meet the Boston College Eagles (8-18, 3-9) on Sunday evening. The Blue Devils will enter Sunday’s meeting undefeated on the road in league play (5-0), with a sixth straight road win making it the first time since the 2005-06 season where Duke has won six straight ACC road games. The Eagles bring in a 2-game losing streak, with their last and best win coming nearly 2 weeks ago as they took down Florida State in BC. Boston College is led by 6’8 freshman Ryan Anderson as he leads the team in scoring at 10.4 points per game and in rebounding averaging 6.9 rebounds per game. As it stands right now, the Blue Devils are in sole position of third place in the ACC (UNC and FSU both won Saturday) with a win Sunday will once again place them in a three-way tie atop the ACC with UNC and FSU. Duke will enter ranked #4 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and #5 in the AP Poll (66-24 all-time when ranked #5 in AP Poll). Sunday’s game will be televised on ESPNU with the tip-off set for approximately 6:00 PM ET.

Duke-Boston College Series
• Duke and Boston College have met 15 times heading into Sunday’s game with the first meeting between the two schools coming on Dec. 21, 1979.
• The Blue Devils lead the all-time series 13-2, including a 9-1 ledger since Boston College joined the ACC.
• Duke has won four straight and 12 of the last 13 games in the series.
• Mike Krzyzewski is 12-2 at Duke against the Eagles, including a 4-1 record at the Conte Forum.
• Seven of the 10 games since Boston College joined the ACC have been decided by 10 points or less.
• All five games in the series that have been played at the Conte Forum have been decided by 10 points or less.
• Duke and Boston College have met twice in the ACC Tournament with Duke winning both games.

Numbers Game
• The Blue Devils are coming off a 78-73 win over N.C. State on Thursday. Duke outscored the Wolfpack 37-12 over the final 11:33 of action to overcome a 20-point second half deficit.
• Duke is the only team in the NCAA to rank in the top 5 in RPI, Strength of Schedule as well as the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
• The Blue Devils are currently 5-0 on the road in league play. Duke hasn’t won six straight ACC road games since the 2005-06 season.
• The Blue Devils are 9-2 in ACC play and are one win shy of winning at least 10 conference games for the fifth straight season and the 20th time under Mike Krzyzewski.
• Duke has been ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll for 89 straight weeks, the third-longest streak in NCAA history.
• The Blue Devils have had 10 or fewer turnovers in five ACC games and leads the conference with 10.1 turnovers per game in league play. Duke had a season-low five turnovers in Thursday’s win over N.C. State, including no turnovers over the final 13 minutes of play.
• Duke is 12-3 on the year in games decided by 10 points or less. The Blue Devils have five wins in ACC play by less than 10 points.
• The Blue Devils have held seven of their 11 ACC opponents to four three-point field goals or less. ACC opponents are shooting just 28.4 percent (44-of-155) from three-point range against Duke for the second lowest percentage in the conference.
• Duke has trailed at the half in three of the last four games and has had a second half deficit of 10 points or more in three of the last four contests. The Blue Devils overcame a 13-point second half deficit to beat North Carolina (Feb. 8th) and a 20-point deficit to defeat N.C. State (Feb. 16th).
• The Blue Devils average 25.1 points per game off the bench. Duke has gotten double-digit scoring from the bench in 19 of 26 games this season and the bench has scored 30 or more points in 10 games.

Duke Player Statistics
• Austin Rivers was named ACC Rookie of the Week for the seventh time overall and the fourth straight week on Monday. Rivers’ seven selections are the third most in ACC history, while his four straight selections tie three others for the ACC’s longest streak.
• Brothers Mason and Miles Plumlee combine to average 17.9 points and 16.3 rebounds per game this season. Either Mason or Miles has led Duke in rebounding in 24 of Duke’s 26 games. The duo has also combined for 19 double-figure rebounding games on the year.
• Seth Curry has scored in double-figures in five consecutive games and is averaging 18.6 points per game in that span. He is 16-of-37 (.432) from three-point range and is also averaging 4.4 rebounds per game in the last five contests.
• Austin Rivers leads all ACC freshmen in points per game (15.0), minutes per game (32.2), double-figure scoring games (22), 20-point games (6), field goals made (131), field goal percentage (.444) and free throws made (83). He ranks second in three-pointers made (45) and steals (24).
• Mason Plumlee ranks second in the ACC in rebounding at 9.9 rpg. He is also second in the league with 14 double-figure rebounding games and has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in four straight games and six of the last seven contest.
• Seth Curry scored 21 of his career-high 26 points in the 2nd half vs. North Carolina State as Duke rallied from a 20-point deficit to defeat the Wolfpack 78-73.

Team Scouting Report

PG- #10 Jordan Daniels Fr.
Daniels is a very small point guard at only 5’8” or 5’9” and weighing about a 150 pounds. Because of his size Daniels struggles to get into the paint and keep his opponent out of the paint. Offensively, Daniels is looking to run the offense and shoot open jumpers. Daniels is an average shooter, but does have some passing ability. The question for Daniels is who does he guard? When Tyler Thornton is in the game that will be the matchup. But when Duke goes with Andre Dawkins, Seth Curry and Austin Rivers there really is no matchup for him. Look for Duke to really exploit this matchup when that lineup is in.

SG- #20 Lonnie Jackson Fr.
Jackson isn’t a short as Daniels, he actually has decent height, but strength wise he only weighs a 170 pounds. Daniels will probably start the game on Seth Curry, and will have trouble guarding Curry just as he will have trouble guarding Andre Dawkins around screens. Offensively, Jackson is a very good shooter and someone that cant be left alone. If he does get the ball make him a driver.

SF- #14 Matt Humphrey Jr.
Finally, a BC player with decent size. Humphrey will get the assignment of Austin Rivers and Humphrey is actually a pretty good defender. Offensively, Humphrey loves to shoot the three, the only problem is he shoots a ton and makes few at only 31 percent. Austin Rivers shouldn’t have too big of a problem checking Humphrey.

PF- #12 Ryan Anderson Fr.
Anderson is tall, long and lanky. He is talented and very versatile, being able to put the ball on the floor and shoot it from deep. Anderson has struggled with the physicality of the college game and at his size has had to bang around in the post more than he wants. This is going to probably more of a Ryan Kelly game than a Miles Plumlee game.

C- #24 Dennis Clifford Fr.
Clifford is big at 7’0” 240 pounds. He has had some big games and some games where you cant even tell he’s on the court. Like Anderson, Clifford is still adjusting to the physicality of the college game. Clifford can score, but struggles on the more so on the defensive end and on the glass. This is a matchup where Mason Plumlee needs to dominate.

Bench

PG- #1 Gabe Moton So.
Moton is a traditional point guard looking to run the offense. He isn’t very skilled and the more he is in the game the better.

C- #5 KC Caudill Fr.
Caudill is huge at 6’10” 280 pounds and can only play for short stretches at a time. He is another guy that the Plumlees should be able to eat up.

G- #22 John Cahill Sr.
Cahill is a lot like Moton in that he will run the offense, but unlike Moton, Cahill can shoot it from the perimeter.

G- #2 Deirunas Visockas Sr.
Visockas has recently just started playing in the last three or four games and really hasn’t put up any type of numbers. My guess is that Donahue is using him for defense and energy.

Final Thoughts and Prediction

Lets be honest after reading the scouting report, tell me one player on the BC roster that would be in the Duke 9 man rotation, because I don’t see one. This just speaks to how good of a coach Steve Donahue is. This is the least talented team I have personally ever seen in the ACC and they somehow have 3 conference wins and beat first place Florida State. Truth be told this should be a game that Duke wins by a minimum of 20 regardless of where it’s played. That being said this team seems to always do the opposite of what’s expected. I would like to see Mason Plumlee reassert himself down low and become a three headed monster with Curry and Rivers. Plumlee has really struggled finishing down low going 18-46 from the field in his 5 games. I think the backcourt of Curry and Rivers keep playing well and the frontcourt gets going again. Against my better judgment I am going with the Devils in a rout. I think going with Plumlee, Rivers and Curry are all good choices for player of the game, but I am going to go with Ryan Kelly. Kelly has gone 19-51 from the field in his last 6 games and really struggled in fouling out against NC State and I look for him to get it going against the Eagles.
One last thing for all you fans clamoring for a pack it in defense, circa 2010, this team can’t do that. There are two big reasons why; one is the lack of size. Closing out to shooters when you have a 6’5” and 6’8” perimeter player is a lot different than when your perimeter runs 6’1”. 6”2” and 6’4”, teams will shoot it much better against this lineup then a past one. Secondly and most importantly by packing it in more you are counting on your team to have great awareness and be able to protect the rim. Mason Plumlee protects the rim, but Miles Plumlee has poor defensive instincts and Ryan Kelly is very weak around the rim. I agree that the Duke defense needs to back off a little bit, but they simply can not pack it in as much as the 2010 squad did, it would be even more layups and the addition of threes for the opponent.

DUKE: 80 BOSTON COLLEGE: 58

Tonight was the second time. Down 20 points in the second half and after being dominated nearly the entire game, Austin Rivers dropped another big shot with 2:25 left in the game to give Duke its first lead.

I was at the game and that was one of the loudest and most exciting ten basketball minutes I’ve ever been a part of in Cameron Indoor. Anybody who still doubts that the old girl has heart, come to one of the two remaining games (February 25th vs Virginia Tech or March 3rd vs UNC) and say it with a straight face.

One of the greatest scenes in the 2002 Stephen Frears film “High Fidelity” is when John Cusack’s character, Rob Gordon goes through the massive task of re-organizing his record collection.  Rob’s friend Dick, played by Todd Louiso, asks if he’s sorting them alphabetically or chronologically, to which Rob replies, “Autobiographical”. 

I’m a huge fan of obscure sports trivia, especially when it’s something that happens that begs the question, “when’s the last time this happened?”  I’m also a huge fan of music, and I truly believe that “High Fidelity” may be the best work that’s ever been published that really captures how I think … although, here I’m substituting sports facts in place of horrible, failed relationships.  So each week, I’ll be picking something that happened in sports and going back in time to research when it happened last.  To provide some context, I’ll be connecting the sports trivia with three songs released during the same time in history … one song being a track that we’ll all remember, another being one from my favorite playlists, and a third from a guy who’s responsible for writing, recording, or distributing probably 70% of my own record collection, Mac McCaughan of Superchunk and Portastatic, and co-founder of Merge Records. 

So what can you say about Duke’s Plumlee brothers that hasn’t already been said?  Well, I guess I could say something nice about them.  Duke’s lack of a dominant interior presence is one of the most confusing realities to consider when you take a look at the state of the Blue Devil program.  Does Duke’s “system” discourage elite big men from committing to Duke?  Or is that very system a product of Mike Krzyzewski simply using what he has to contruct an offense?  It’s not surprising that the winningest coach in Division I history would choose not to pound the ball inside to Lance Thomas, but would instead choose to ride the scoring of super-guards like Nolan Smith, Jon Scheyer, Gerald Henderson, Austin Rivers, and so on.  Kyrie Irving aside, Duke hasn’t played with a great point guard for quite some time either, so perhaps it’s even unfair to be critical of the post players as they’re not getting the ball in positions to score points.  Maybe I should venture into the lunatic fringe of the message boards and call for Wojo’s head on a platter because point guards can’t coach big men (yes, that’s a real point that’s been en vogue within the Duke camp for a few years).

But it’s time to put all of that aside and just celebrate the Plumlees for a moment.  Miles, the eldest Plumlee, is coming off of a 13 point, 22 rebound performance against Maryland, and is 2nd in the ACC with an effective field goal percentage of 63.4%.  He’s also 2nd in the league with 14.1 rebounds per 40 minutes, just slightly behind Tyler Zeller who leads the conference at 14.3.  His younger brother, Mason, is 5th in the league in defensive stop %, and is 11.6 points per game, and 9.9 rebounds per game … nearly a double-double.  Then there’s the youngest brother, Marshall, who is sitting out this season as a redshirt, and whose bench celebrations are simultaneously hilarious and terrifying.  So to honor this trio of Plumlees on Valentine’s week, we’re going to go back to a simpler time in our own lives when the most meaningful gift of all was a heartfelt mix-tape … this playlist goes “In the Lines”, or in the bloodlines, as we feature bands with siblings:

1 – Point That Thing Somewhere Else, The Clean – brothers Hamish & David Kilgour

2 – It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n Roll), AC/DC – brothers Malcom & Angus Young

3 – Game of Pricks, Guided by Voices – brothers Robert & Jim Pollard

4 – Strangers, The Kinks – brothers Ray & Dave Davies

5 – Shangri-La, Versus – brothers Richard & Edward Baluyut

6 – Month of May, Arcade Fire – brothers Win & Will Butler

7 – Saints, The Breeders – sisters Kim & Kelley Deal

8 – Head On, The Jesus & Mary Chain – brothers Jim & William Reid

9 – Ceremony (New Order/Joy Division cover), Radiohead – brothers Jonny & Colin Greenwood

10 – Alex Chilton, The Replacements – brothers Tommy & Bob Stinson

Bonus track – Ball and Biscuit, White Stripes – fake brother and sister Jack & Meg White

Bonus track – Drill Me, Portastatic – brothers Matt and our very own Mac McCaughan (note – congrats to Matt for winning the ‘Best New Artist’ Grammy with his band Bon Iver)

Miles Plumlee had quite possibly his best game in a Duke uniform with 13 points and 22 rebounds against Maryland.  If you remember two years ago on their way to a national championship the Blue Devils received a 16 point 17 rebound performance against the Terrapins from Brian Zoubek.  That was his coming out party, we can only hope that Miles Plumlee has  a Zoubekian finish to his Duke career.  Those two performances have stoodout, but lost in the shuffle has been the re-emergence of Seth Curry.

Curry has broken out of his shooting slump and has been terrific in his last three games, averaging 18.7 points per game on 19-38 shooting from the field and 11-21 shooting from the 3 point line.  The redshirt junior has also taken care of the ball with 7 assists to only 2 turnovers in the past three games.  I had been clamoring for Duke fans to support Curry as it was only a matter of time before he got going again and now he is back to being an all ACC caliber guard.  Remember, in the preseason Coach K felt that Curry was going to be one of the better guards in the country.  Keep an eye on the Duke defense throughout the rest of the regular season.  The defense was strong against Maryland and Coach K stated that Curry and Rivers are playing their best defense of the season and Tyler Thornton is really stepping up on that end of the floor.

The North Carolina State Wolfpack are the next opponent for the Blue Devils.  They are on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament and are looking for that signature win to lock them into the field.  In his first year on the job as Wolfpack head coach, Gottfried has done a wonderful job on the recruiting trail and has a top five class locked in for next season.  In terms of on court performance, Gottfried has done a good job with this crew that was very inconsistent and sloppy last year.  Gottfried puts a heavy emphasis on sharing the ball and not just running sets for one specific player.  The Wolfpack play a seven man rotation and all five starters average in double figures.

A big move for the Wolfpack was converting Lorenzo Brown from shooting guard to point guard with the transfer of Ryan Harrow.  Brown has done an excellent job of distributing the ball averaging nearly seven assists per game.  On the defensive side of the ball, NC State puts a lot of emphasis on protecting the rim without fouling, but struggles in guarding the three point line.  By my count the Wolfpack have played 8 games against teams that are legitimate contenders for NCAA at large tournament berths.  Their record in those games is 2-6. They are giving up 77 points per game and teams are shooting over 47 percent in those games.  The staggering stat in those games is that NC State’s opponents are shooting over 41 percent from the three point line.  Although the Wolfpack have struggled with upper echelon teams, they still have plenty of talent and the offensive firepower to knock off a team like Duke.

Scouting Report

PG- #2 Lorenzo Brown So.

Brown has great size for a point guard at 6’5”.  He has done a good job of finding open guys with his nearly 7 assists per game but will get loose with the ball as evidenced by his 3.2 turnovers per game.  On offense, Brown does a good job of slashing to the rim but isn’t much of a threat from the perimeter.  Defensively, Brown has quick hands and good instincts.  With more experience, better decision making and better perimeter shooting Brown would be an All-ACC first team player.

SG- #21 CJ Williams Sr.

I always felt that Williams was under-utilized in the past with Sidney Lowe as the coach, never averaging over 20 minutes per game.  This year Williams is averaging over 30 minutes per game and is producing.  Williams is a do it all type player with some athleticism.  Williams can knock down the jumper if given some room, otherwise he likes the mid range, transition and hustle baskets.  Williams will most likely be guarding Austin Rivers which will be a good challenge forAustin.

SF- #15 Scott Wood Jr.

Wood is one of the most pure shooters in the country.  Nearly 44 percent from the 3 point line and nearly 95 percent from the foul line.  Wood makes his living off his incredible shooting, but struggles in nearly every other area.  Wood has good instincts defensively, but his lack of foot speed can get him in trouble in one on one situations.  The key is to blanket Wood and not allow him any open looks.  In the Wolfpack’s 7 losses, Wood didn’t play in one of the games and averaged 10.1 points in those games, compare that to 14.1 points game in their victories.

PF- #5 CJ Leslie So.

Leslie was a big time recruit for NC State and has failed to live up to expectations so far.  In no way is Leslie a bad player, he just hasn’t been a game changer.  The thought was that Leslie would come in and average15 agame as a freshmen and leave to be a lottery pick.  Instead, Leslie is back for his sophomore season and the numbers still aren’t all that eye popping, 13 points and 6 rebounds.  Leslie has the body of small forward, but doesn’t have the jumper or handle to be able to play that position.  Leslie relies very heavily on athleticism.  Leslie will be a tough cover because of that athleticism.  Ryan Kelly will really have to be smart and physical with Leslie.

C- #1 Richard Howell Jr.

Howell, like Williams is another player that I felt wasn’t playing enough under Sidney Lowe.  Howell is now starting and making an impact.  Howell is very physical and athletic.  Howells biggest problem is his habit to get into foul trouble.  Getting Howell in foul trouble early would open the lane up for the Plumlees.

Bench

C- #0 DeShawn Painter Jr.

Howell’s backup at the five spot.  Painter is more of a faceup player, but he also does a good job on the glass.  The Wolfpack don’t lose a lot in terms of productivity with Painter, it does however change their teams makeup.  Painter doesn’t bang around the rim like Howell, making the Wolfpack a more finesse team and easier to score around the rim against.

PG- #3 Alex Johnson Sr.

Johnson rounds out the 7 man rotation for the Wolfpack.  Johnson is a grad student from Cal State Bakersfield and has surprisingly been fairly productive for the Wolfpack.  Johnson brings energy and speed of the bench and has also passed the ball well.  Like Lorenzo Brown, Johnson struggles with his shot from the perimeter.

Final Thoughts and Prediction

Another huge game for the Duke Blue Devils.  They proved there would be no hangover after the North Carolinawin, now they must prove that they turned the corner and can protect their home court.  NC State is a good basketball team and I think will get one of the last spots in the NCAA Tournament.  Mark Gottfried has done a very good job with a 7 man team that didn’t do much with Sidney Lowe as coach last year.  It is important for the Blue Devils to attack inside first and then kick the ball back out for threes and not just swing the ball around the perimeter and jack.  This is a thin team they are playing and putting them in foul trouble would prove to be beneficial.  In my mind Wood and Leslie are the keys tonight.  Duke has to blanket Wood and give him no looks and they can’t let Leslie go off because he does have an athletic mismatch.  I foresee a high scoring game.  I think Duke will play good defense for most of the game, but the Wolfpack will go on a couple hot scoring runs and make it interesting.  My prediction on game MVP goes to Seth Curry, with Andre Dawkins stepping up his play as well.

DUKE: 82 NC STATE: 68

After coming off of wins over North Carolina and Maryland last week, the Duke Blue Devils (21-4, 8-2) return to the floor Thursday night after a four-day layoff to host the North Carolina State Wolfpack (18-7, 7-3). The Blue Devils come into Thursday’s meeting again ranked inside the top-5, as they are #4 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and #5 in the AP Poll. When ranked #5 in the AP Poll, Duke is 65-24 all-time. The Wolfpack come in unranked in both polls. N.C. State is coming in off of a 3-game winning streak, with wins over Boston College, Wake Forest, and Georgia Tech. Those three teams are also 10th, 11th, and 12th in the ACC standings. The Blue Devils are currently in a tie for 2nd in the ACC (North Carolina defeated Miami last night) with the Florida State Seminoles. N.C. State is led by Scott Wood as he averages 13.4 points per game while shooting .462 from the field, .437 from three, and .949 from the free throw line. Sophomore C.J. Leslie is averaging 13.0 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game for N.C. State. Thursday’s meeting will be televised live on the ACC Network with the tip-off set for 9:00 PM ET.

Duke-N.C. State Series
• Duke and N.C. State have met 235 times heading into Thursday’s game with the first meeting between the two schools coming in 1912.
• The Blue Devils lead the all-time series 138-97, including a 46-23 mark at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
• Duke has won two straight and five of the last six games in the series.
• Mike Krzyzewski is 46-20 at Duke against the Wolfpack, including a 22-5 record at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
• Duke has won 13 straight home games in the series. The Blue Devils have a +18.2 scoring margin in that span.
• The two schools have met 23 times in ACC Tournament play with Duke posting a 14-9 record in those games.
• Duke has won each of the last eight home games against N.C. State by double figures.

Numbers Game
• Duke is the only team in the NCAA to rank in the top 5 in RPI, Strength of Schedule as well as the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. The Blue Devils are also 3-1 against teams in the top 10 of the RPI.
• The Blue Devils have won 20 or more games 27 times under Mike Krzyzewski, including each of the last 16 seasons.
• Duke has been ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll for 89 straight weeks, the third-longest streak in NCAA history.
• The Blue Devils are 61-3 at home since the start of the 2008-09 season. Duke is 11-2 at home this season and has lost more than two home games just once in the past 16 seasons.

Duke Player Statistics
• Austin Rivers was named ACC Rookie of the Week for the seventh time on Monday and for the fourth straight week. Rivers’ seven selections are the third most in ACC history, while his four straight selections tie three others for the ACC’s longest streak.
• As a freshman, Austin Rivers has 6 20+ point games. In the last 15 years, only JJ Redick (9 games) and Luol Deng (8 games) have had more 20+ point games as a freshman.
• Austin Rivers has scored in double figures in 21 of Duke’s 25 games this season.
• Senior forward Miles Plumlee set a Coach K-era record with 22 rebounds in Duke’s last game against Maryland. Plumlee broke the previous record of 21 held by Elton Brand as part of his double-double effort that also included 13 points.
• In the past 2 games against N.C. State, Miles Plumlee is averaging 7.0 points per game and 7.0 rebounds per game.
• Mason Plumlee has 46 dunks this season, which is two more than all opponents have against Duke. Plumlee’s 46 dunks are tied for the sixth most in school history and 12 shy of the record of 58 held by Shelden Williams (2006).
• In the past 2 games against N.C. State, Mason Plumlee is averaging 11.5 points per game and 12.0 rebounds per game.
• Austin Rivers leads all ACC freshmen in points per game (15.0), minutes per game (32.2), double-figure scoring games (21), 20-point games (6), field goals made (127), field goal percentage (.450) and free throws made (77). He ranks second in three-pointers made (43) and steals (24).
• Brothers Mason and Miles Plumlee combine to average 18.1 points and 16.3 rebounds per game this season. Either Mason or Miles has led Duke in rebounding in 23 of Duke’s 25 games.
• Point guard Tyler Thornton owns a 3.86:1 assist-to-turnover ratio in Duke’s 10 conference games. That mark is the second highest in the ACC among players who average at least 2.0 assists per game.
• Duke has had 10 or fewer turnovers in four ACC games and ranks second with 10.6 turnovers per game in league play. Duke had just nine turnovers in Saturday’s win over Maryland and committed just one over the final 21 minutes.
• Mason Plumlee ranks second in the ACC in rebounding at 9.9 rpg. He has grabbed 12 or more rebounds 11 times this season including four of the last six games.
• Seth Curry is shooting 48.0 percent (12-of-25) from three-point range over his last four games. He is averaging 16.8 points per game during that span.