Tuesday Night Hoopla: Review of Last Night's Action, Jan. 21, 2009

The low point was a two-point performance against Purdue in the ACC/Big-Ten challenge. In Duke’s blow out win in West Lafayette, Gerald Henderson shot 1-for-8 from the field, 0-for-0 from the foul, and 0-for-3 from the behind the arc.

Then it started. Eleven points in the first game, then 14, then two games of 19. In his last 10 games, Henderson has averaged 17.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 steals a game. His has come through for Coach K when other Duke players have been struggling.

In Tuesday night’s game with North Carolina State, Henderson continued the recent trend and took the game over when No. 2 Duke stumbled past the Wolfpack 73-56 at Cameroon Indoor Stadium.

Henderson also has the Stat line of the Night: 21 points on 10-for-16 shooting, seven rebounds (three offensive), four assists, five steals and one block.

Henderson has always been an elite athlete, and in this middle portion of his junior season, Henderson’s basketball skills seem to have caught-up with his physical gifts.  And if Duke is to be a serious contender and not have a another late-season collapses, Henderson will need maintain his level of play.

Kyle Singler had a slow start but came up big in the second half scoring 14 of his 17 points.