Ball Durham
Fansided

Duke Basketball: No. 2 Blue Devils in Virginia for much anticipated rematch

By Kevin Connelly

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 05: RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils takes a three-point shot against the Boston College Eagles during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 05, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. Duke won 80-55. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 05: RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils takes a three-point shot against the Boston College Eagles during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 05, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. Duke won 80-55. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Duke Basketball team is in Charlottesville, Virginia to take on the Cavaliers in a much anticipated rematch of January’s instant classic.

After a January 19 victory over the Virginia Cavaliers, the Blue Devils traveled north to Charlottesville for a rematch with the No. 3 Cavaliers.

Mike Krzyzewski rolled with his normal starting five of Tre Jones, Cam Reddish, R.J. Barrett, Zion Williamson, and Marques Bolden.

More from Ball Durham

Jones, who did not play in the first matchup with Virginia, finished the first half with no points, but four rebounds and five assists.

As for Virginia, the Cavs were the team with injury questions coming into this game with guard Ty Jerome being questionable, but Jerome was in Virginia’s starting lineup.

With LeBron James and Rajon Rondo in the house, the Blue Devils came out firing from 3-point range, making its first five 3-point attempts, leading Virginia 19-9 at the first media timeout, and the Blue Devils took a 39-35 lead into halftime.

R.J. Barrett led the way for the Blue Devils with 15 points and two rebounds, on five of nine shooting and after making his first five 3-point attempts, Barrett finished five of seven from 3-point range.

Zion Williamson also stuffed the stat sheet in the first half, accumulating 12 points, two rebounds, two steals, and three assists, and two blocks, and like Barrett, Zion was also very efficient from the floor, shooting four of five from the field and making his lone 3-point attempt.

In a limited amount of attempts, Cam Reddish also was very productive for the Blue Devils in the first half, scoring eight points, while also gathering one rebound, two assists, and a steal. Reddish made three of his four shots.

Virginia was led in the first half with seven points from Mamadi Diakite, but Diakite had to leave mid way through the first half after colliding heads with his teammate De’Andre Hunter.

Hunter has six points but picked up two fouls in the first 20 minutes. Kyle Guy has eight points, while Ty Jerome has five for Virginia.

Duke must be prepared for a Virginia run in the second half and handle the crowd and the defensive pressure from the Cavaliers.

Stay tuned to Ball Durham on Twitter, @Ball_Durham, and here at our website, balldurham.com, for complete coverage of the Duke Blue Devils vs. the Virginia Cavaliers. 

Home/Duke Basketball