Duke basketball: 5 major takeaways from Blue Devils’ massive victory

Duke basketball takeaways in victory over Gonzaga: 

Mark Williams is a difference-maker on both ends

It was a slow start to the season for Mark Williams and left many questioning if his strong end to his freshman campaign was false hope.

Well, it certainly was not as the sophomore center was a difference-maker on the floor on offense and defense for the Blue Devils against the ‘Zags.

Williams posted 17 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor as his only miss came on his lone 3-point attempt of the night.

The Virginia native should have been credited with at least six blocks on the night as Williams pinned the defending National Player of the Year, Drew Timme, against the backboard but was whistled for a bogus foul.

Perhaps it just took the 7-footer a few games to get comfortable playing in the same frontcourt as Paolo Banchero, but Mark Williams looks ready to explode this season.