Duke basketball: Top 5 plays from pleasing win over NC State

The top plays show Duke basketball beating NC State in picturesque fashion.

By playing to its strength in the paint rather than regularly resorting to small-ball lineups against a smaller foe, the Duke basketball squad delivered Saturday’s encouraging 88-73 victory at home over the unranked NC State Wolfpack (9-9, 2-5 ACC).

Following the win, the program’s official Twitter account revealed its picks for the top five plays from the No. 8 Duke Blue Devils (14-2, 4-1 ACC).

And it’s no surprise that the overriding theme of the highlights is domination from Duke’s big fellas:

A recap of Duke basketball’s top plays against NC State

Coming in at No. 5 on the countdown, sophomore point guard Jeremy Roach found Mark Williams — who flirted with a triple-double in the game without committing any fouls — for an uncontested transition flush in the first half.

Next on the list is a rejection by graduate senior big man Theo John that translated into points on the other end during Duke’s second-half explosion after freshman power forward Paolo Banchero secured an offensive rebound and produced an emphatic dunk.

No. 3 is also from the early stages of the second half and showcases the sheer fly-swatting prowess of Williams on his way to a career-high eight blocks, marking the most from a Blue Devil in any contest since 2006.

Although the program admitted to hesitation in keeping No. 2 from the top spot, the placement does not diminish the Dr. J-like theatrics under the rim from junior small forward Wendell Moore late in the second half.

Finally, No. 1 is from the first half and fittingly belongs to Mark Williams and Paolo Banchero. First, the 7-foot Williams pulled off arguably the Blue Devils’ best bounce pass of the season by using his otherwordly length to save an errant toss from going out of bounds on a fastbreak. And Banchero was in perfect position for another momentum-strengthening slam.

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more Duke basketball news and views.