Wake Forest University
Duke
No. 9 Wake Forest Falls To No. 2 Duke
1/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 24, 2001
By DAVID DROSCHAK
AP Sports Writer
DURHAM, N.C. - Wake Forest coach Dave Odom believed he had to make a choice against Duke's talented offense Wednesday night. His decision backfired.
Jason Williams, playing on a sprained foot, scored 27 points as the second-ranked Blue Devils used a 21-3 run to close the first half and clutch 3-point shooting for an 85-62 victory over No. 9 Wake Forest.
"We have the ability on this team to hit a lot of killer shots," Shane Battier said.
No need to remind Odom.
Duke came into the game leading the nation with 10.4 3-pointers a game, and after getting off to a rough start from the perimeter, went 14-for-26 against a defense that was allowing opponents 25 percent from beyond the arc.
"One of our goals was to take away the inside game and make them go to the outside," Odom said. "It's very difficult to take away both. You have to pick your poison and hope whatever is happening on the other end goes in your favor. Tonight it did not."
The victory kept the Blue Devils (18-1, 6-0) in a first-place tie with North Carolina in the ACC. Duke also improved to 52-2 in their last 54 regular-season conference games and beat the Demon Deacons for the ninth straight time.
"It's an accomplishment, but we're not your average team," Williams said of the team's 3-point success. "We have exceptionally great players. We're all able to knock down the 3 if you leave us open. We just take our shots and that's why we always knock them down."
The Demon Deacons (14-4, 3-4) started the season 12-0, but have dropped four of their last six and fell to 0-4 on the road in the ACC.
Wake Forest played without leading scorer Josh Howard (14.5), who had the flu, but not even a full squad could have slowed down another offensive show by the Blue Devils, who have won eight straight since losing to No. 1 Stanford 84-83 on Dec. 21.
"Howard not playing had a huge impact on the game," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "Howard is one of the best players in the conference. You just don't lose a kid like that and it not have a negative impact on Wake Forest.
"I was pleased our guys didn't let up," Krzyzewski added. "Sometimes when you find out things just before a game like that you think you're going to have it easy. You never have it easy playing Dave's team."
Battier added 22 points for Duke, while Mike Dunleavy matched his career high with 21.
`It wasn't just another night," Krzyzewski said when asked about the ease in which Duke was able to make its long-range jumpers. "We had a great night when you go over 50 percent from 3. Shane and Jason really felt big shots and then Dunleavy hit two that were huge."
Broderick Hicks led Wake Forest with 16 points.
Wake Forest trailed by 16 points at halftime, and closed to nine three different times in the second half, the last with 8:57 left. But Williams had a steal and dunk, Battier hit a 3-pointer and Dunleavy made a bank shot to push the margin back to 16.
"Jason played a tremendous game," Battier said of the team's point guard. "You see him gaining strides as a player every time out."
Duke's closing first-half run was fueled by Williams and Battier as Wake Forest was held to one basket over the final 6:42.
Williams make two driving layups and two free throws and Battier had a 3-pointer as the Blue Devils scored 11 straight points to take control. A little more than a minute after his shot beyond the arc, Battier made a driving layup and another 3-pointer before Odom was called for a technical foul as the game slipped away from the Demon Deacons.
Battier made one of two free throws as the Blue Devils took yet another commanding 16-point lead into the break at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Odom claimed he was yelling at his team, but an enraged opposing coach just fired up the Cameron Crazies even more.
