DURHAM — Duke brought The Show back home Saturday night.
Cameron Indoor Stadium was buzzing. Former national champion players and a boxing champion stopped by for a visit, and so did an old Big Four rival.
N.C. State came hunting its fifth Top 10 win in eight tries in Kevin Keatts’ short tenure. Unable to turn the Blue Devils over, or rebound with them, the Wolfpack limped away with a 94-78 setback.
This wasn’t Duke at its finest, players and coach said. Good, but not their best. The team has battled sickness, perhaps none worse than freshman R.J. Barrett “throwing up all day Wednesday and Thursday,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said.
He went for 37 minutes, turning in the program’s first triple-double in 13 years with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Fellow frosh Zion Williamson delighted his 2.3 million Instagram followers, piling up 32 points on just 16 shots in a mere 29 minutes.
That’s efficient.
Six of Barrett’s assists went to Williamson.
That’s teamwork.
“Me and R.J. just got that combo,” Williamson said. “He saw a smaller man on me.”
Keatts lamented an early surge when Duke scored 11 straight points. Williamson exploded down the lane like a rocket ship in sneakers at one point. It’s the kind of play the agile freshman makes that reminds us degree of difficulty for him is far different from everyone else on the planet.
What didn’t come easy was defense. And that’s a bit of a surprise, given Duke’s prowess this season.
“We weren’t locked in,” freshman Tre Jones said. “We were trying to outscore them. That’s why it was such a high-scoring game.”
The Wolfpack kept creeping within striking distance. It was Torin Dorn with a play on the baseline, then Markell Johnson finding a teammate (10 assists) or points (16).
Duke had the answers. Barrett drained a 3 at the shot clock, Marques Bolden commanded the low post, or the Zion and R.J. act came up with something.
Then there was Jack White, hurrying to catch and block a snowbird by Johnson. If he’d made the 3-pointer next trip down, Cameron wouldn’t have a roof.
The Indoor Stadium was lively throughout. Perhaps it was the first home game in 11 days, welcoming the road warriors who prevailed at then-No. 3 Virginia by 10, then three nights later stormed back from 23 down in the final 9:58 at then-No. 16 Louisville.
Or maybe it was all that tent living ahead of a showdown with No. 8 Carolina.
Ring bearers Grayson Allen, Amile Jefferson, Quinn Cook, Tyus Jones and Lance Thomas were here, as was the best man in the house with a set of gloves, Floyd Mayweather.
Maybe it was all of it. Cameron is unique, the best homecourt advantage in the country. The Blue Devils savored their throaty voice.
When the Tar Heels arrive, everything goes up.
“That’s been on everybody’s minds since they committed to Duke,” Williamson said.
For these one-and-doners, there’s only the one chance at the Heels in Cameron.
N.C. State had a few chances Saturday night. Duke was just better.
Devon Daniels’ two missed free throws, only down eight, with 8:40 to play hurt. White’s putback on the other end got 180 degrees of rim, then dropped through. It was that kind of Duke night.
Braxton Beverly — “Beverly scares the heck out of you,” Krzyzewski said — had a 3-pointer to pull State within five with about six minutes left. It got stuck. Wedged. Halted.
So did the Wolfpack.
Williamson was out about six minutes in the heart of the second half, and State still got no closer.
“He’s played the last two games an unbelievable amount of minutes with four fouls,” Krzyzewski said. “If we’re going to win something big, your best player has to be able play with four fouls.”
He did.
Just another act in the show. Next curtain is Carolina.
R.J. Barrett had Duke’s first triple-double in 13 years Saturday in a win over N.C. State.