NC State @ Duke preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 6, 2018 ) Duke 85, NC State 96

In a season filled with superlatives, Duke’s 23-point comeback with under 10 minutes remaining against Louisville on Tuesday night might have been its most impressive feat yet. The second-ranked Blue Devils will look to build off it and win their ninth straight Saturday evening when they host North Carolina State.

Cam Reddish hit the tying 3-pointer with 1 1/2 minutes remaining and the go-ahead free throws with 14 seconds left as Duke made 9-of-13 shots over the final 9:54 in the 71-69 win. "We didn't want to go home with a loss. We had to fight for Duke, just give it our all for the name on our chest,'' Reddish told the media after the game. N.C. State has won two straight following a three-game skid, including Wednesday’s 73-58 rout of Syracuse where sophomore guard Braxton Beverly tied a career high with 21 points. "That's the guy that I believe in," Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts told reporters after the game in regards to Beverly. "He could come out and go 0-for-20, and then I know the next time he comes out, he's going to play.”

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (18-7, 6-6 ACC): The Wolfpack were desperate for a home win after losing their last two in Raleigh, N.C., one of which was the embarrassing performance where they scored 24 total points - the fewest by any ACC team in the shot-clock era - against Virginia Tech on Feb. 2. Torin Dorn added 16 points and 12 rebounds, while DJ Funderburk chipped in with 12 points in 18 minutes off the bench. N.C. State played well at both ends of the court, holding the Orange to 35 percent shooting while winning the rebounding battle 42-31.

ABOUT DUKE (22-2, 10-1): Zion Williamson put on a memorable performance against the Cardinals with a game-high 27 points on 9-of-15 shooting and 8-of-9 free throws while adding 12 rebounds, three steals and a block. Reddish added 22 but hit on just 4-of-14 3-point attempts, while RJ Barrett - the conference's leading scorer at 22.7 points per game - also struggled to 4-of-14 from the field but still managed 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists. The Blue Devils found a way to win despite one of their worst offensive games of the season, finishing just 36.5 percent from the floor and 25 percent from long range.

TIP-INS

1. Duke leads the all-time series 93-70, but the Wolfpack knocked off the Blue Devils at home last season.

2. The Blue Devils rank second in the ACC in scoring at 86.1 points per game, while N.C. State sits third at 81.8.

3. It was announced on Thursday that Barrett and Williamson were both named to the 30-player Naismith Trophy Midseason Team.

PREDICTION: Duke 90, North Carolina State 78