Mark Williams’ putback slam of Paolo Banchero’s missed bank shot was close to being waved off as basket interference. The basket at 0.4 seconds remaining broke an even score and Duke won their 23rd consecutive home game against Wake Forest, 74-76.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski left the game at halftime with an illness and assistant Jon Scheyer stepped in. Scheyer coached the last game against Wake Forest when Krzyzewski was out.
The Devils 57-38 advantage in the second half was their largest of the game. As Wake Forest tightened defensively around the paint, Duke’s lead stayed stable until Dallas Walton’s consecutive three-pointers trimmed it to 61-52 at 10:03. When Alondes Williams laid the ball through in transition, the once 20-point lead became a four-point one at 63-59. Scheyer refused to call an immediate timeout because of the pending media break soon after the 8:00 mark.
The Devils’ three consecutive trips to the foul line allowed for breathing room at 72-63. Both teams traded tenacious defensive possessions before Deacons coach Steve Forbes called timeout in a 74-67 game. The Deacons received two offensive rebounds and Williams hammered in a three as the game’s final minute wound down. Duke had gone five minutes without a field goal. Dallas Walton hustled and slammed the ball from a transition pass by Williams. Williams was awarded free throws on the next possession after he beat Banchero off the dribble and was fouled by Duke’s Mark Williams. After the instant replay showed that Mark Williams went straight up to contest Alondes Williams, the Devil players and Cameron Crazies were beside themselves. Alondes Williams tied the game and proved that a Forbes team could compete with the ACC’s most talented players.
