Closing Thoughts

It wasn't pretty, easy or good for cardiac health in the greater Durham area, but Duke got its first road win in ACC play with a 75-70 win over Wake Forest.

The Blue Devil faithful are sure to fret over the final score, but consider first that the Dukies hit just two three-pointers the entire game. And that was on 14 attempts.

It wasn't for a lack of open shots. Seth Curry, Rasheed Sulaimon and Quinn Cook all missed easy looks over the course of 40 minutes. Breaks of the game, I suppose. Sometimes that little orange sucker just won't go down.

But Duke muscled through thanks to the first-half play of Mason Plumlee (who finished with a career-high 32) and a well-time three from Seth Curry (21 points overall) in the closing minutes.

Wake Forest can hold its head high for the night. Jeff Bzdelik's Demon Deacons fought from tip to buzzer, never allowing Duke to lead by more than six.

But in the end, Wake didn't have quite enough offense to keep pace. Nor could they find an answer for Plumlee, who they seemed content to turn loose in their effort to clamp down on Duke's three-point bombers.

Now the Demon Deacons turn to face another bleak, dance-less season. Plenty of questions surrounding this program, few of them pleasant ones.

Thus ends the season series between these two Tobacco Road rivals.

Duke won both affairs and now heads to Tallahassee this weekend with a 5-2 conference record and an 18-2 mark overall.

Wake drops to 10-10, 3-5. The Demon Deacons play Saturday at Maryland

FINAL SCORE

Duke -- 75

Wake Forest -- 70 

Curry hits one-of-two.

And that will do it.

FINAL

DUKE -- 75

WAKE FOREST -- 70

Wake converts a quick two.

Wake fouls. Curry to the line.

Duke leads by four, 74-70.

2.4 seconds remaining.

Wake misses a three.

Now just five seconds remaining. Jeff Bzdelik calls a timeout, but it won't matter.

Duke now 5-2 in the ACC.

Wake will drop to 3-5 in conference play.

On the attempted charge draw by Devin Thomas.

Gotta have a little more contact than that, Devin Thomas But good idea.

— ACC Sports (@ACCSports) January 31, 2013

Quinn Cook hits 1-of-2 from the stripe.

Duke now leads 74-68. Wake calls a timeout with 15.8 seconds remaining.

If the Blue Devils hold on, this will be their first ACC road win of the year.

Sulaimon drains a jumper with the shot clock expiring.

Duke up 5.

Plumlee rejects a Wake shot at the other end.

And just like that it appears the Devils will escape.

They are up five with the ball with 15 seconds left. Duke heading to the line.

Adala Moto bricks a wide-open three.

That's not his shot.

We're under a minute now.

Wake needs a stop here.

Plumlee responds by backing down Thomas. Laying it in for two.

The freshman tried to draw an offensive foul. It was close.

Seniors get calls, right?

Both Thomas and Plumlee have four fouls.

Duke up 71-68 w/1:14 left.

Wake coming out of a timeout now.

Madison Jones finishes at the rim.

Wake within a point.

Sulaimon misses a corner three.

Duke leads 69-66.

We are under 2 minutes.

Now a Wake turnover.

Duke gets another golden to extend the lead.

Devin Thomas checks back in for Wake with 4 fouls.

Duke with a much-needed defensive stand.

Cemented by a Hairston block.

Seth Curry follows up with a three from the top of the key. It was only a matter of time,

Duke up 69-66.

Plumlee makes one-of-two from the line.

We're tied at 66. Wake with the ball.

Props were props is due...

SHOT FAKE. Well played Tyler Cavanaugh. Well played. No. 4 on Plumlee.

— ACC Sports (@ACCSports) January 31, 2013

Plumlee bullies his way to the hoop and draws a foul.

He'll shoot two after the TV timeout. But he has to be careful with his body positioning in the post. He's one flop away from fouling out.

And-1 for Cavanaugh. Foul on Plumlee

That's the Duke star's fourth. Cavanaugh knocks down the FT.

Wake leads 66-65.

Back and forth we go!

Cook answers with a beautiful drive and scoop for the lay-in.

Duke calls a quick timeout. Blue Devils lead 65-63.

A quick update on those three-point figures for Duke.

Duke 1-13 from beyond the arc.

— Adam Rowe (@DukeHoopBlog) January 31, 2013

Adala Moto draws a foul. Knocks down both ends of a 1-in-1.

We are tied at 63 with 4:30 minutes remaining.

Curry misses two open three-point looks in one possession.

Duke still has just one three-pointer on the game.

I believe the Blue Devils are 1-for-12 from beyond.

Big reason why Wake is hanging tough here.

As I said earlier...

Jefferson really has done nothing tonight.

— Mike Kline (@DukeBlogMKline) January 31, 2013

Josh D. Weiss-USA TODAY Sports

Adala Moto bowls through Amile Jefferson in the post and earns two FTs.

He hits one of two. Wake back within two, 63-61.

Just under 6 minutes remain.

"Bit of control" might be a stretch here.

But Curry does draw another offensive foul. Duke with a chance to make this a two-possession game.

Up-and-under layup for Quinn Cook on a breakaway feed from Mason Plumlee. Duke starting to re-assert a bit of control at 63-60

— Duke Basketball (@dukebasketball) January 31, 2013

Cook is back in.

He finishes a fast-break on an assist from Mason Plumlee.

Duke leads 63-60.

Wake calls for time.