Duke laughably chokes away game, loses to Wake Forest in 2OT
434. 113. 448. Final/OT. 101
The Duke basketball team was in control and fell apart late in the second half to allow Wake Forest to force overtime and eventually win the game in double overtime.
Duke led Wake Forest by nine with 81 seconds to play in regulation.
The Blue Devils needed a missed shot to avoid losing at the buzzer and a comeback in overtime to force a second overtime.
More from Ball Durham
- Duke basketball: The architect behind digital dominance
- Duke basketball prioritizing frontcourt prospects in 2025
- Duke basketball: Unmasking the hate for the Blue Devils
- Duke basketball: Countdown to Craziness lands another huge visitor
- Duke basketball fills final open scholarship
Duke was then blown off the floor in the second overtime by said Wake Forest team, who entered the game in 13th place in the ACC and 4-12 in conference play and came away with a 113-101 win.
Building off all that, 24 hours ago Florida State defeated Louisville, which gave the Blue Devils control of their own destiny to earn the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament and potentially opening the door for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Brandon Childress, Wake’s leading scorer, was the one who tied the game in regulation with his first made field goal against Duke this season while the Blue Devils needed two free throws from Tre Jones to tie the game and send it into double overtime.
Jones finished with 24 points while Wendell Moore led the Blue Devils with 25 points, 15 coming at the free throw line.
Mike Krzyzewski opted to play Justin Robinson, and the senior captain delivered with high-energy plays ending his night with six points, two rebounds, one assist, two steals, and three blocks but fouled out after 15 minutes of play.
Vernon Carey Jr. and Javin DeLaurier also fouled out after 19 and five minutes, respectively.
Carey only had ten points and seven rebounds while Cassius Stanley went for 14 and Matthew Hurt made what looked to be winning plays at the end of regulation as he finished with 12 points.
The Blue Devils were called for 34 total fouls while Wake Forest went 37-for-50 from the charity stripe.
Duke had no answer for Olivier Sarr who dropped a career-high 25 points despite fouling out in the first overtime while Chaundee Brown went for 24 in the victory.
Nothing gets easier for Duke (23-5, 13-4 ACC) with a trip to Virginia waiting on Saturday, but the concern is real and will continue to grow after dumbfounding losses to Stephen F. Austin, Clemson, and NC State, in addition to Tuesday night’s loss.