DURHAM – Cameron Indoor Stadium has been a sanctuary for Duke basketball this season.
On Wednesday, it offered area for redemption.
Redemption for Kyle Filipowski: The freshman hadn’t hit a three in over a month, however after snapping that streak within the first half in opposition to Pitt, he went off for a career-high 28 factors and 15 rebounds throughout a 77-69 win.
Redemption for NC State and Boston College: The Blue Devils have been trounced by 24 factors in opposition to the unranked Wolfpack and blew a 14-point second-half result in the Eagles earlier than squeezing out a 65-64 win final Saturday.
Against the Panthers, it was Duke that erased a 12-point second-half deficit, scoring 15 straight factors whereas successful all the trouble performs that led to 24 whole rebounds and restricted Pitt to 26 factors. They completed with a plus-23 rebound margin – the second-most this season whereas holding the Panthers to a 28.6% taking pictures proportion within the second half.
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Redemption additionally got here for highly-touted Derek Lively II, who has underwhelmed in his first 17 video games, however offered crucial factors and protection in 12 minutes of play.
“I used to be out of my head tonight,” Lively mentioned. “I’m studying that even when I make errors, you possibly can transfer previous it. Tonight, was a turning level.”
Redemption for Tyrese Proctor: The freshman misplaced his beginning spot on New Year’s Eve in opposition to Florida State. He returned to the beginning 5 with junior Jeremy Roach nonetheless ailing from a proper massive toe harm. He completed with 14 factors, 5 assists and no turnovers in opposition to Pitt.
“Tyrese was unimaginable for us within the second half,” mentioned ahead Ryan Young. The graduate switch completed with seven factors, 10 rebounds and a few non-stat sheet highlights that offered further ammunition for an excitable crowd. “When he will get the ball, everybody has a ton of confidence in him.”
No. 24 Duke (13-4, 4-2) moved to 9-0 at its sanctuary throughout a night that coach Jon Scheyer known as a “classic Cameron night time.”
“It was the primary time in Cameron when the staff could not hear me,” Scheyer mentioned. “There have been many moments with Coach Okay when that has occurred, the place somebody is 2 ft away and you’ll’t hear. We obtained to that stage tonight.”
Now the problem is carrying that momentum to the highway, the place the Blue Devils have been far much less profitable. The one-point win over Boston College was their first true highway win of the season after losses at NC State and Wake Forest. They additionally dropped neutral-site video games to Kansas and Purdue.
Duke performs its subsequent three video games on the highway, together with Saturday’s 5 pm matchup at first-place Clemson.
“We’ve obtained to construct off this now,” Filipowski mentioned. “We know the way nice of a staff we may be … however that is simply a sneak peek of how nice we may be.”