Duke @ NC State preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 23, 2017 ) NC State 84, Duke 82

Second-ranked Duke hopes to put a week of rest to good use as it begins a stretch of three ACC road games in the next four outings Saturday night at struggling North Carolina State. The Blue Devils reached the century mark for the third time in four games, surrounding their lone loss at Boston College, last time out when they outlasted Florida State 100-93 at home on Dec. 30.

“That was an amazing game, because both teams played great,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski told reporters after his team survived allowing 15 makes from 3-point range and missing 11-of-25 free throws. “We couldn’t stop each other. And the will to win and will to score was evidence by both teams. For us to win that game, is sensational for our group. Four freshmen.” The week off after that classic will help with four games in 10 days, including trips to Pittsburgh and Miami (Fla.) after taking on a Wolfpack squad that dropped its first two ACC contests on the road by double digits. N.C. State averaged 60 points in those games after getting routed 88-58 against short-handed Notre Dame on Wednesday. “I just try to tell my team to not keep their heads down,” senior forward Abdul-Malik Abu told the Raleigh News & Observer. “There are a lot more coming. There are a lot more teams. This is not the end of the world, but it’s not a good feeling at the same time.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT DUKE (13-1, 1-1 ACC): Marvin Bagley III continues his outstanding freshman season as the 6-11 forward is draining 63 percent from the field with 11 double-doubles while averaging 21.9 points and 11.6 rebounds. Senior guard Grayson Allen scored 22 against Florida State and has connected on 41 of 94 attempts from 3-point range overall, averaging 17.4 points and dishing out 4.4 assists per contest. Freshman forward Wendell Carter Jr. is shooting 61 percent from the field overall and averaging 13.7 points (16.5 over the last four contests) along with 8.9 rebounds.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (10-5, 0-2): The Wolfpack has allowed 83 points per game in their first two league outings and stands last in the ACC in field-goal percentage defense (43.4). Senior guard Allerik Freeman leads a normally productive offense (82.5 per game) while averaging 15.3 points and junior backcourt mate Torin Dorn is second on the team in scoring (13.2 points, team-high 7.6 rebounds). Senior forward Lennard Freeman (11.6 points) is draining 72.2 percent from the field and sophomore center Omer Yurtseven (11.4) has connected on 61.7 percent from the floor.

TIP-INS

1. Abu, who averaged double figures the previous two seasons, is scoring 7.0 per contest in 2017-18 - 4.0 in two ACC games.

2. Duke freshman PG Trevon Duval scored 16 points in the win over Florida State and leads the team in assists (6.6).

3. The Wolfpack won the last meeting 84-82 at Duke in 2017 after the Blue Devils won the previous four matchups.

PREDICTION: Duke 82, N.C. State 64