For many, the Duke-Virginia rivalry this season is a battle of the top two teams in the ACC, as well as two of the top five teams in the country. For the Duke Blue Devils, it's just another chance to prove why they are the best college basketball has to offer. They did just that yet again on Saturday night, as the second-ranked Blue Devils beat the third-ranked Virginia Cavaliers, 81-71, at John Paul Jones Arena. R.J. Barrett led the way with 26 points, while Zion Williamson added 18 points to lead Duke to their second win of the season over Virginia. Barrett led an early charge for Duke, as he hit five three-pointers within the first 12 minutes of the game to give the Blue Devils an early 14-point advantage.
Cam Reddish chipped in 17 points for the Blue Devils, who are the only team this season to beat the Cavaliers. Reddish hit three shots from beyond the arc early in the second half to give his team the quick advantage out of halftime. He finished with five made shots from three-point range, and the Blue Devils as a team shot 13-for-21 from long distance. This comes after they connected on just 2-of-14 shots from three in their 72-70 win over Virginia at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 19th.
Virginia head coach Tony Bennett called Duke's success from three "a little bit deflating" for his team, who was unable to gain any type of advantage on their home floor because of it. Duke put an end to the Cavaliers' 13-game home winning streak, as they have now won three consecutive games at John Paul Jones Arena. Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome scored 16 points apiece for the 20-2 Cavaliers, as they dropped to 8-2 in conference play.
At 9-1, the Blue Devils are now tied with the eighth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels for first place in the ACC. They will move on to visit the 16th-ranked Louisville Cardinals on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers hope to pull back in to a tie for first when they battle the Tar Heels on Monday night.
Cam Reddish chipped in 17 points for the Blue Devils, who are the only team this season to beat the Cavaliers. Reddish hit three shots from beyond the arc early in the second half to give his team the quick advantage out of halftime. He finished with five made shots from three-point range, and the Blue Devils as a team shot 13-for-21 from long distance. This comes after they connected on just 2-of-14 shots from three in their 72-70 win over Virginia at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 19th.
Virginia head coach Tony Bennett called Duke's success from three "a little bit deflating" for his team, who was unable to gain any type of advantage on their home floor because of it. Duke put an end to the Cavaliers' 13-game home winning streak, as they have now won three consecutive games at John Paul Jones Arena. Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome scored 16 points apiece for the 20-2 Cavaliers, as they dropped to 8-2 in conference play.
At 9-1, the Blue Devils are now tied with the eighth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels for first place in the ACC. They will move on to visit the 16th-ranked Louisville Cardinals on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers hope to pull back in to a tie for first when they battle the Tar Heels on Monday night.
