Duke @ Wake Forest preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 11, 2020 ) Wake Forest 59, Duke 90

After a brief departure from the norm, seventh-ranked Duke got back to its high-scoring ways in a rout of Virginia Tech Saturday night. The Blue Devils will try to build another winning streak and stay close in the race for first place in the ACC when they visit Wake Forest on Tuesday.

Duke enters the week with the nation's third-ranked offense (82.6 points per game), but it endured a rare off night with last Wednesday's 88-66 loss at North Carolina State, only to bounce back by dismantling the Hokies 88-64. "I think we grew as a group this week," coach Mike Krzyzewski told reporters. "Sometimes you need to get punched and knocked out, but then you get up and figure out why you get knocked out. That's what we did." The win left the Blue Devils in a second-place tie with Florida State in the ACC and a half-game behind first-place Louisville, which was traveling to face the Seminoles on Monday night. The Demon Deacons, who lost by 31 at Duke earlier in the season and have dropped 11 straight to their in-state rival, sit a game out of last place following an 86-79 loss to Georgia Tech on Wednesday.

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: ACC Network

ABOUT DUKE (23-4, 13-3 ACC): Freshman guard Cassius Stanley was held to four points in the loss to the Wolfpack before finding his stroke against the Hokies and finishing with 21 points. He averages 12.4 points per game, third on the team behind freshman center Vernon Carey Jr. (17.9) and sophomore guard Tre Jones (15.8). Freshman forward Matthew Hurt chips in 10.5 points per contest and is coming off his first career double-double after recording 16 points and 10 rebounds versus NC State.

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (11-15, 4-12): The Demon Deacons had won two in a row at home and were honoring former coach Dave Odom at halftime last Wednesday, but the opportunity for a big win in front of a large, festive crowd went by the board when Georgia Tech had a late 16-9 surge. "They are all the same to me. Doesn't matter who's in the building," coach Danny Manning told reporters when asked if the loss hurt more given the program's luminaries - including legend Tim Duncan - being in the building. "You don't like it. It's not a pleasant feeling. It's not the feeling that you want. On the flip side of that, all the former players that made it back, being there for Coach Odom, seeing their former teammates was fun to see." Senior guard Brandon Childress scored 16 points in the loss and he leads the team in scoring (15.0) and assists (4.5).

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Demon Deacons freshman G Jahcobi Neath reached double digits for the first time in his career with 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting against Georgia Tech.

2. Jones entered Monday second in the ACC in assists (6.4) and Carey was second in rebounding (8.8).

3. Duke has won five in a row at Wake Forest.

PREDICTION: Duke 83, Wake Forest 71