Duke’s impressive streak faces a challenge from Wake Forest’s own winning run when they meet on Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C.
No. 2 Duke enters the game with a 12-game winning streak, its longest in eight years. The Blue Devils (16-2, 8-0 ACC) have been unstoppable so far in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Duke hasn’t played since their dominant 88-63 win against Boston College last weekend.
“We know it’s going to be a big-time game, a big-time challenge,” said Duke coach Jon Scheyer. “At the end of the day, are you winning games or are you not? And they’re winning games,” referring to Wake Forest’s impressive run.
Wake Forest’s Hot Streak
Wake Forest (15-4, 7-1 ACC) is also riding a hot streak with six straight wins, its longest stretch in conference play since 1996-97. Despite some struggles in their latest 67-66 win against North Carolina, including no first-half assists and poor shooting from beyond the arc (2-for-15 on 3-pointers), the Demon Deacons managed to get the win.
Coach Steve Forbes praised his team’s resilience: “It says they are a resilient, tight-knit group that didn’t have their ‘A’ game… At this moment in time, we found a way to win.”
Wake Forest didn’t make any substitutions in the second half despite the competition rotating more players, with Forbes noting, “I just liked the way we were playing.”
Duke has plenty of firepower. Tyrese Proctor led the Blue Devils with 20 points in their win at Boston College, showcasing his growth: “He has been busting his butt every day working,” said Coach Scheyer. Freshman Cooper Flagg, who has had nine games with 20-plus points, is a key contributor. Flagg dropped 28 points in the Boston College game, five of those performances coming in ACC play.
Wake Forest will face Flagg for the first time this season, but Duke and Wake are well-acquainted with each other.
Key Players to Watch
Scheyer commented on the changes in Wake Forest’s game this year, saying, “They’re a little bit different this year to me because they’re elite defensively. They’ve always been elite in terms of offense.”
Flagg and Wake Forest guard Hunter Sallis are both averaging 19.2 points per game, and Sallis recently had a seven-game streak of 20 or more points snapped. Duke’s defense will be key to stopping him after Sallis scored 29 points in last year’s upset over the Blue Devils.
Wake Forest is undefeated at home with a perfect 10-0 record. They’ve already defeated ACC rivals like North Carolina State and North Carolina at home. Meanwhile, Duke also has an excellent road record of 5-0, its best since 2018-19 when they won their first seven road games.
