Duke Basketball has been dominant in the ACC this season. The Blue Devils are currently ranked No. 2 behind Auburn. With the top recruiting class of 2025, a solid mix of transfers filling out the bench, and, of course, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg, it’s no surprise that Duke has enjoyed such a successful season. However, despite their strong record, the Blue Devils have encountered some offensive struggles in their last two games.
Photo Cred: NBC Sports
The Blue Devils traveled to Wake Forest and earned a hard-fought 63-56 win. Wake Forest has been a solid opponent, sitting at 7-3 in conference play. Duke shot a season-low 36.8% from the field and turned the ball over 16 times. Despite the poor shooting performance, Duke’s defense remained sharp, holding Wake Forest to just 56 points on 37% shooting. It was an uncharacteristically off night for the Blue Devils offensively, but they still managed to come out with the win. Given the number of first-year players in the lineup, it’s expected that Duke will experience games like this from time to time.
However, the struggles didn’t end there. Duke hosted NC State, which was looking for its third ACC win. NC State played Duke closely, leading at halftime before the Blue Devils regained control in the second half. Duke ultimately won 74-64, but NC State stayed in the game throughout. Duke shot just 39% from the field and committed 10 turnovers. The Blue Devils had been shooting over 50% in every game since their 82-56 win at Georgia Tech on December 21st, so these back-to-back offensive struggles have raised some questions. Key players, such as Tyrese Proctor, have struggled, with Proctor shooting just 3-for-18 over the last two games. The question now is: has Duke begun to slow down offensively?
While the last two games show Duke is vulnerable, it’s clear that simply forcing poor shooting nights isn’t enough to beat them. The Blue Devils’ size and athleticism on defense make them tough to score against. Currently ranked 5th in the country in defensive efficiency, Duke forces opponents to earn every point in the paint while also boasting an explosive offense. Despite their offensive struggles, the Blue Devils have shown they can win even when not playing their best basketball.
Photo Cred: AP
Duke blew out their biggest rival, the UNC Tar Heels, in a highly anticipated rivalry game. The intensity of the rivalry brought out the best in Duke, and the offense should be sharper as a result. The recent offensive slumps have shown that Duke is capable of winning even when not firing on all cylinders, demonstrating just how talented this team is. With their strength on both sides of the ball, a perfect 20-0 ACC record could still be within reach for the Blue Devils.
