The No. 4 Duke Blue Devils routed the No. 10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 90-60, in what was a rematch of a thriller in South Bend.
The Duke Blue Devils played their best game of the season on Saturday afternoon. The greatest basketball for Duke this season came in the first half. Duke was sharp all game long, both offensively and defensively.
Notre Dame came into the game averaging 80.4 points per game, which was seventh best in the nation. Duke held Notre Dame to 24 first half points, which is their lowest of the season, and 60 points for the game.
Feb 7, 2015; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Matt Jones (13) and guard Tyus Jones (5) react to a three pointer by Jones during the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Offensively nothing could go wrong for Duke, especially in the first half. In the first half the Blue Devils started 6-6 from beyond the arc and 12-14 from the field. Excellent passing led to a number of open shots.
Duke finished the first half sizzling hot from the field. They shot 17-21 from the field, 7-8 from deep and 9-12 from the free-throw line. Duke also had 11 assists and only turned the ball over three times.
Two players have continued to build off their recent performances. Matt Jones and Justise Winslow led the Blue Devils in scoring in the first half. Matt Jones scored 17 points, 15 points in the first half, was a key reason Duke was shooting so well. He went 6-9 from the field and 3-4 from three.
More from Duke Blue Devils News
- Duke basketball: The architect behind digital dominance
- NC State vs. Duke prediction and odds for Tuesday, February 28 (Have faith in Blue Devils)
- Pitt vs. Duke prediction and odds for Wednesday, January 11 (Blue Devils strong at home)
- Duke Blue Devils news: Recruiting updates, Coach K wins award, more
- Duke Blue Devils news: Resume gets major boost, women dominate, more
Winslow recorded his third straight game with a double-double. Winslow finished the game with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Winslow is at his best when he is playing aggressively and attacking the basket. He did just that in the first half and for the entire game. The Irish simply had no answer for Winslow.
The first game between these two teams was a tightly contested battle. This game was different from the start. It was never a contest. The Blue Devils benefited greatly from an extremely large run in the first half.
Notre Dame got off to the perfect start. They hit their first two threes of the game and had a 6-0 lead. Then the Duke Blue Devils took over. Duke went on a 14-0 and never looked back.
The remainder of the first half belonged to Duke. Much of that time was spent with Jahlil Okafor on the bench as well. No Okafor, no problem for the Blue Devils.
Okafor picked up two quick fouls, and with 11:57 left in the first half he was forced to the bench. Once Okafor was on the bench, Duke went extended their lead. In the first half the Duke Blue Devils went on a 43-7 run.
The game was all but over before halftime. After a 43-7 run, the Blue Devils led 43-13. Duke took a 50-24 lead into halftime and didn’t allow Notre Dame to try to close the gap in the second half.
Coach K couldn’t have asked for a better performance from his team than he got on Saturday.
Feb 7, 2015; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Jahlil Okafor (15) drives to the basket as Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Zach Auguste (30) defends during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke won 90-60. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Game MVP:
The hardest game MVP to choose this season. There are five Duke players that deserve the recognition for their outstanding performance. Okafor, 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Winslow, 19 points and 11 rebounds, both recorded double-doubles and were key players for Duke.
Tyus Jones ran the Duke offense to perfection. He was constantly making the extra pass and making the right decision. Tyus Jones finished with 12 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and zero turnovers.
What more could you ask Quinn Cook to do? He does everything for the Blue Devils. Cook only scored 8 points for the game but he also recorded 5 assists. The most outstanding part of his game on Saturday was the defense he played on Jerian Grant. Grant destroyed Duke in South Bend and Cook wasn’t going to let it happen again. Cook held grant to 7 points and only 4 assists.
Lastly, there is Matt Jones. Jones has benefited from the extra playing time and shots. He has provided a much-needed spark off the bench and is playing with an extreme amount of confidence. He scored 17 points and gave Duke a lift.
The MVP of the game is….Justise Winslow. Winslow started the game strong for Duke and played strong throughout. He attacked the rim, he was aggressive on defense and stuffed the stat sheet. Winslow did it all for Duke on Saturday.
What’s Next:
The Duke Blue Devils won’t have much time to think about their victory. They travel to Tallahassee, Florida to play the Florida St Seminoles on Monday night.