Duke @ Clemson preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 5, 2019 ) Clemson 68, Duke 87

Third-ranked Duke looks to continue dominating ACC play and stretch its overall winning streak to double digits when the Blue Devils visit a rejuvenated Clemson team on Tuesday night. Duke has won nine straight since a shocking home loss to Stephen F. Austin and has won its five conference games by an average of 25.2 points after routing Wake Forest 90-59 at home Saturday.

Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski told reporters he liked his team’s defense Saturday against the Demon Deacons, and five players scored in double figures as Duke drained 11-of-23 shots from 3-point range to reach 90 for the second time in three games. “That was one of the most efficient starts we’ve ever had, really,” Blue Devils freshman guard Cassius Stanley told the media after the latest win. “Every time we drove and kick, we got great quality shots, and we made them. It’s everything you want out of an offense.” Clemson is riding high after winning back-to-back games for the first time since before Thanksgiving, including a come-from-behind 79-76 overtime victory at North Carolina on Saturday - its first-ever in 60 games at Chapel Hill, N.C. “We’re certainly glad it’s over,” Tigers coach Brad Brownell told the team’s website. “To change the narrative is a good thing. You’ve got to be proud of this team for the way they fought, didn’t give in and made big shots and big plays.”

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN

ABOUT DUKE (15-1, 5-0 ACC): Leading scorer Vernon Carey Jr. (17.4 points, eight rebounds, 60.8 percent shooting) was held to eight points by Wake Forest, but it did not stop the Blue Devils from producing a strong showing on offense. “He knows what it is,” Stanley (11.5 points) told the Raleigh News & Observer of the freshman center. “He was killing it the whole season and he knows that people are going to start really scheming to stop him, but he’s a great passer and a great player, so he’s going to be fine.” Sophomore point guard Tre Jones averaged 19.5 points the last two games to push his season mark to 14.9 and is among the national leaders in assists (7.0).

ABOUT CLEMSON (8-7, 2-3): Junior forward Aamir Simms leads the team in scoring (13.9) and rebounds (7.5) after pouring in a team-high 20 points against North Carolina to improve his average to 19.3 over the past three contests. Senior Tevin Mack, a transfer from Alabama, is the only other player averaging in double figures scoring (11.5) after registering 17 on Saturday and the 6-6 guard leads the Tigers with 26 made 3-pointers. Sophomore guard John Newman III also had a big game with 17 points against the Tar Heels to push his season average to 9.9 and senior guard Curran Scott, a Tulsa transfer, has contributed 10.7 points per game the last three.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Clemson freshman G Al-Amir Dawes, who scored 16 in the win over North Carolina State on Jan. 4, leads the team in assists (2.9).

2. Stanley is averaging 16.7 points in his last three games and shoots 43.3 percent from behind the arc overall.

3. The Blue Devils lead the ACC in field goal percentage (48.9), but are 12th in free throw shooting (67.4), behind Clemson (71.2, ninth).

PREDICTION: Duke 84, Clemson 72