MENS BASKETBALL
Duke 77, Wake Forest 69
AARON BEARD
ASSOCIATED PRESS
DURHAM, N.C. - Mark Mitchell scored 23 points while star big man Kyle Filipowski posted his first double-double in nearly three weeks as No. 9 Duke fought off Wake Forest 77-69.
Filipowski had 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Blue Devils (19-5, 10-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who repeatedly answered pushes by the Demon Deacons (16-8, 8-5) that kept them hanging around within two possessions or so for much of the second half. But they never could overtake the Blue Devils, who led for the final 17 1/2 minutes but still had a fight on their hands to the final moments.
Wake Forest was chasing its first win in Cameron Indoor Stadium since January 1997 during star big man Tim Duncan’s senior season. The Demon Deacons had multiple chances to pull to within a possession in the second half, but Damari Monsanto missed a 3-pointer with his team down five followed by another one after the Demon Deacons had rebounded his first miss.
Moments later, after Mitchell’s free throw pushed the margin to 75-69, Monsanto missed one more 3 from the top. Mitchell rebounded the ball and ultimately pushed ahead in transition for a clinching dunk for the final margin.
Hunter Sallis scored 22 points for the Demon Deacons, who got off to a brutal shooting start and had starter Efton Reid III limited by foul trouble.
BIG PICTURE
Wake Forest: The metrics already like Wake Forest (ranked No. 28 in KenPom, No. 35 in the NET), but the Demon Deacons have work to do to make their case for an NCAA Tournament bid. They entered Monday night at 0-3 in Quadrant 1 games that top a a postseason resume with their best nonconference win coming against Florida. This was the first of five Q1 opportunities still on the schedule, including a home game against Duke on Feb. 24.
Duke: The Blue Devils had beaten Notre Dame and Boston College since losing at rival North Carolina. Filipowski had a nice boost after a few frustrating showings, posting his first double-double since going for 17 points and 15 rebounds against Louisville on Jan. 23. And Mitchell continued his strong play since the start of the 2024 calendar year.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
February 12, 2024
