Duke vs. Wisconsin: Score, Stats & Highlights

(Getty)

(Getty)

Final Score

Duke 35-45 — 80
Wisconsin 32-38 — 70

The Blue Devils improved to 8-0 this season, and will surely be the new No. 2 in the polls next week after a convincing 80-70 win over the Badgers in Madison. The Blue Devils played more athletically, regularly asserting their dominance and getting into the paint even as the game was getting deeper and deeper into the 2nd half.

Freshman guard Tyus Jones led the Blue Devils in scoring with 22 points on an efficient 7-for-11 shooting. Quinn Cook and Jahlil Okafor each contributed with 13 apiece.

Wisconsin’s senior leader Frank Kaminsky scored 17 points, but remained largely inefficient for large stretches of the game. Eight of his 17 points came within the first two minutes of each half, only making two field goals in the other time span. Kaminsky’s outside shot was taken away for most of the night, and his teammate Traevon Jackson was the beneficiary of the Blue Devils defensive choices. Jackson led all scorers with 25 points on 7-for-12 shooting.

Duke became the first team to shoot over 60% at the Kohl Center since Bo Ryan became head coach of the Badgers — the Blue Devils shot over 65% from the field for the game. Duke’s next game is 12 days from now when they host Elon University. Wisconsin’s next game is against their in-state opponents Marquette on the road on Saturday afternoon.


Duke Took the Game’s Largest Lead

Quinn Cook #2 of the Duke Blue Devils drives to the hoop during the first half (Getty)

Quinn Cook #2 of the Duke Blue Devils drives to the hoop during the first half (Getty)

A majority of the game has been tight, but Duke’s athleticism is starting to take its toll on Wisconsin. A Cook running jumper off the glass gave the Blue Devils their largest lead of the game — a nine-point lead — with 8:50 remaining in the game.


Blue Devils Matched Their Largest Lead of the Game

 Justise Winslow #12 of the Duke Blue Devils drives into the lane during the first half (Getty)

Justise Winslow #12 of the Duke Blue Devils drives into the lane during the first half (Getty)

Freshman guard Tyus Jones is 5-for-8 from the field with a game-high 16 points, and the Blue Devils led 48-43, matching their largest lead of the game with 13:47 remaining in the 2nd half.

Once again, Kaminsky opened the half in scoring for the Badgers, but has quieted in the last five minutes. He currently has 10 points.


Blue Devils Lead Badgers 35-32 at Halftime

At halftime, No. 4 Duke owns a 3-point lead No. 2 Wisconsin. Cook leads the Blue Devils in scoring with eight points on 3-for-4 shooting including 2 three-pointers. Kaminsky and Jackson each have eight for the Badgers on a combined 6-for-11 shooting. After the Badgers struggled to get to the paint in the game’s first 10 minutes, they started finding their way there with regular ease for the next 10. The Blue Devils successfully attacked the rim for the entire half.

Both teams should play tighter going into the 2nd half. This also means more opportunities for fouls and free-throw attempts — Duke attempted no free throws in the 1st half.

The Blue Devils could have scored going into the half, but Justise Winslow turned the ball over by traveling, giving the Badgers a crack at a play with 3.8 seconds left that ended with a missed heave that hit the rim from Dekker.

The possession arrow points to Duke to start the 2nd half


Badgers Tied Game Late in the 1st-Half

It is now 26-26 with 3:46 remaining in the half. After a hot start from three, 10 of the Badgers last 12 points have come off much higher percentage shots — layups and dunks.

For the third time in regulation, the game has been tied.


Back-and-fourth Start in Madison

After 13 minutes of play, Duke has a 24-20 lead over Wisconsin.

At 10:12 in the 1st half, Duke senior guard Quinn Cook came out of the game with his 2nd foul.

Coach K’s team has not been sticking to a traditional man-to-man defense, and has been using its athleticism to its advantage. With some easy transition baskets from Treavon Jackson and Sam Dekker on the Badgers last two possessions, Duke may change it up going into the final five minutes of the first half.

There have already been five lead changes. 12 of the Badgers 20 points have come off of 3-point shots. They’re 4-for-9 from beyond the arc with two coming from Frank Kaminsky. In comparison, 16 of Duke’s 24 points have come in the paint.


Badgers vs. Blue Devils Will Give Insight Into Nation’s 2nd Best Team

The Big Ten has taken a 6-2 lead over the ACC in the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Tonight, the challenge continues when No. 4 Duke takes on No. 2 Wisconsin in Madison — a game featuring two of the top five teams in the country.

Tonight is also a match-up of two of the top six head coaches with the highest winning percentage in Div. 1 history as Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan (.759) hosts Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski (.764).

The game’s key match-up will feature Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky, who is averaging 16.6 PPG this season, against Duke’s sensational freshman Jahlil Okafor (17.7 PPG). Due to Kaminsky’s ability to play a post-up game and shoot from the outside, the Badgers can force Okafor to come out and play defense where he is more uncomfortable. Okafor’s and the Blue Devils overall defensive strengths lie in him being a lane clogger.

Duke has already slayed one Big Ten opponent this season — an 81-71 victory over Michigan State in Indianapolis on Nov. 18 in what was their best game of the season thus far. The Blue Devils enter the game with the nation’s 3rd most potent offense, averaging just over 90 PPG.

This is Duke’s first true road game this season. The Badgers are already 4-0 at home. Game time is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. on ESPN.