2 Key Takeaways From Duke’s Win Over Cal

The Duke hoops programme improved to 16-1 wide and 5-0 successful ACC play pursuing a 71-56 roadworthy triumph complete California (13-5, 1-4 ACC) connected Wednesday night. This was nan first of 2 games for nan Blue Devils connected a West Coast roadworthy trip, arsenic they will return connected Stanford (14-4, 3-2 ACC) connected Jan. 17.

It erstwhile again wasn't a cleanable outing for nan Blue Devils connected either broadside of nan floor, but different second-half surge propelled nan squad to its 5th consecutive triumph successful convention play. Duke still has yet to put together 2 accordant halves of its champion hoops done nan convention slate, but nan truth that it is still stringing together wins pinch truthful overmuch to hole is simply a very encouraging sign.

Freshman phenom Cameron Boozer went for a game-high 21 points to spell on pinch 13 rebounds, and Isaiah Evans continued his basking streak pinch 17 points of his own.

Especially pinch Duke's play down nan agelong successful nan 2nd half, there's plentifulness to return distant from nan triumph complete nan Golden Bears. Here are nan 2 biggest takeaways Duke fans should cognize this one.

Duke Gets Back connected Track Defensively

It was nary concealed that nan Blue Devils had been struggling connected nan protect broadside of nan shot complete their past respective games, and a batch of that seemingly had to do pinch a elemental deficiency of effort and connectivity. However, Duke looked backmost successful premier shape successful nan 2nd half against Cal.

Duke had allowed 4 of its past 5 opponents to sprout 53% from nan section aliases better, and allowed nan Golden Bears to sprout 40% from nan level arsenic Duke entered nan halftime locker room pinch a 37-30 lead.

Then, nan 2nd half was axenic power from Duke. Cal made conscionable 7 section goals successful nan 2nd half while shooting 31.8% from nan level and 1-of-8 (12.5%) from three-point range. Duke outscored nan Golden Bears 34-26 successful nan 2nd half while forcing 11 Golden Bears' turnovers that turned into 20 points for nan Blue Devils.

Duke sewage foul-happy early successful nan 2nd half, but quickly adjusted and wholly unopen down immoderate violative hit Cal was trying to get into. The Blue Devils constricted nan Golden Bears' leading scorer Dai Dai Ames to conscionable 8 points connected 3-of-11 (27.3%) shooting aft Ames entered nan crippled ranking eighth successful nan ACC successful points per crippled astatine 17.8.

Nik Khamenia Flashes Two-Way Potential

As convention play sewage underway, it looked for illustration 5-star freshman Nik Khamenia was beginning to autumn retired of nan rotation almost entirely. The Los Angeles autochthonal was averaging 11.3 minutes a crippled done Duke's first 4 ACC matchups, but showed his awesome two-way imaginable against nan Golden Bears.

In 25 minutes of action, Khamenia went for 10 points and 4 boards connected 4-of-9 (44.4%) shooting from nan floor, marking his first double-digit scoring outing since Dec. 6 against Michigan State, arsenic good arsenic nan first crippled he's played complete 20 minutes since that aforesaid contest.

Although each his contributions won't show up successful nan stat sheet, Khamenia brought strength connected defense while cutting without nan hoops very good connected nan violative broadside of nan ball. The rookie was engaged his full clip connected nan level and showed he deserves to play meaningful minutes for this heavy Blue Devils' squad.

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