Preview: #8 Duke Blue Devils (21-5, 12-3 ACC) vs. Wake Forest (17-9, 9-6 ACC)

Overall Duke leads, 180-80
In Durham, NC Duke leads, 82-18
at Cameron Indoor Stadium Duke leads, 67-16
In Winston-Salem, NC Duke leads, 52-41
at LJVM Coliseum Duke leads, 19-13
Neutral Sites Duke leads, 33-9
Last Meeting @Duke 77, Wake Forest 69 (Feb. 12, 2024)

TV/Video Stream ESPN
Play-by-Play Mike Monaco
Analyst Chris Spatola
Director Bonnie Reilly
Producer Alex Farmartino

Radio Blue Devil Sports Net.
Play-by-Play David Shumate
Analyst John Roth
Engineer John Rose
In Durham 96.5 FM & 620 AM
SiriusXM 137 or 194

Wake forest enters Saturday with a 17-9 overall record and a 9-6 record within the ACC. Wake Forest leads the ACC and ranks third in the nation in free-throw percentage (.805), and is the conference’s third-highest scoring team with 79.4 points per game. The Demon Deacons are second in the conference in both field goal percentage (.474) and 3-point field goal percentage (.373), which places 27th nationally. The Demon Deacons are undefeated at home this season with an average margin of victory at home in conference games is 19.5 points.

Four Demon Deacons average more than 13 points per game, led by junior guard Hunter Sallis, the ACC’s fourth-leading scorer with 18.3 points per contest. Kevin Miller leads the Deacs in assists at 3.7 and checks in second in scoring per game at 15.5. Cameron Hildreth and Andrew Carr both average 13.5 points per game with Carr second on the team in rebounding at 6.9 per game. Wake’s leading board man is Efton Reid, who collects 8.2 rebounds per game.

The Blue Devils roll into LJVC in Winston-Salem with an overall record of 21-5 and a conference record of 12-3. After starting the season 5-3, Duke has won five straight, eight of the last nine, and 16 of the last 18. Duke is the only team to rank among the top three ACC statistical leaders in both scoring offense (2nd/80.5 points per game) and scoring defense (3rd/67.2 points allowed per game). The Blue Devils lead the ACC in scoring margin (+13.3), field goal percentage (.481), 3-point field goal percentage (.380) and assists (15.5 per game).

Kyle Filipowski ranks eighth in scoring (16.9 ppg), sixth in rebounding (8.2 rpg), third in blocked shots (1.7 bpg) and seventh in field goal percentage (.502). He leads the Blue Devils in both scoring and rebounding. Jeremy Roach matched a season-high with four 3-pointers at Miami on Wednesday night, leading the Blue Devils with 16 points in an 84-55 road victory. He checks in at 14.1 points per game. Jared McCain set a Duke freshman record with eight 3-pointers, scoring 35 total points to help pace Duke in a 76-67 victory at Florida State last Saturday. The freshman guard is averaging 13.5 points per game. Mark Mitchell clocks in at 13 points per game on the season so far and Tyrese Proctor, who played his first game since recovering for a concussion this past Wednesday is scoring at a 10.1 point per game clip and leading the Blue Devils in assists at 3.6 per game.

G Jeremy Roach 6’2, 180lbs SR
G Jared McCain 6’3, 197lbs FR
G Caleb Foster 6’5, 197lbs SO
F Mark Mitchell  6’9, 232lbs SO
C Kyle Filipowski 7’0, 248lbs SO

G Kevin Miller 6’0, 175lbs RSO
G Cameron Hildreth 6’4, 195lbs JR
G Hunter Sallis 6’5, 185lbs JR
F Andrew Carr 6’11, 230lbs SR
C Efton Reid III 7’0, 250lbs JR

Scoring:

Kyle Filipowski 16.9 PPG
Jeremy Roach 14.1 PPG
Jared McCain 13.5 PPG
Mark Mitchell 13 PPG
Tyrese Proctor 10.1 PPG

Rebounding:

Kyle Filipowski 8.2 RPG
Mark Mitchell 6.3 RPG
Jared McCain 4.9 RPG

Assists:

Tyrese Proctor 3.6 APG
Jeremy Roach 3.2 APG

Scoring:

Hunter Sallis 18.3 PPG
Kevin Miller 15.5 PPG
Cameron Hildreth 13.5 PPG
Andrew Carr 13.5 PPG

Rebounding:

Efton Reid 8.2 RPG
Andrew Carr 6.9 RPG

Assists:

Kevin Miller 3.7 APG
Cameron Hildreth 2.7 APG

Hunter Sallis is a machine from the outside, he can get his shot off of curls, off the dribble and at 6’5 he’s going to be a tough cover for the Blue Devils. In the first matchup with Duke Sallis scored 22 points, but the Blue Devils did a good job of chasing him off of the 3-point line. Sallis got those 22 points on 20 shots. Duke held the Deacons to just 23% shooting from 3-point range in the first game but didn’t shoot it well either only managing 28% shooting. Where the Blue Devils shined was in getting to the free throw line. The Blue Devils made 18 free throws to just 9 for Wake. Both teams are shooting the ball much better and playing better basketball overall.

Sallis is by no means the only worry for the Blue Devils, Wake has multiple ways to put the ball in the basket – Cameron Hildreth is a name Duke fans will know as he has on occasion given the Blue Devils fits with his Euro style of play, adept at finishing at the rim but also very dangerous in the mid-range with his turnaround. Hildreth had been slumping but has seen a resurgence in effectively over the past few games.

Efton Reid is a load inside and the Blue Devils were lucky that the 7-footer battled foul trouble in the first meeting in Durham. Reid has the potential of giving the Blue Devils fits with his ability to push guys around and take up space. Kyle Filipowski will have to contend with a weightier player that can also match him in height – the other side is Andrew Carr, another big with the ability to stretch the floor with his shooting stroke.