Blue Devil Nation Premium covered each of Mason Plumlee's games this weekend, where he helped Christ School to the North Carolina State Championship.  The coverage continued in Cameron where he visited with his entire family and coach.  Timely information awaits members.  You too can find out about when a decision might be made and what Duke's chances look like by joining BDN Premium.  Come in and see what you have been missing out on.  Members stick with the Blue Devil Nation and we continue to grow thanks to Duke fans from all over the country wanting to know the skinny on one of college basketballs most coveted programs.  So, if you want in person scouting reports, interviews and much more, go to a paypal link and sign up!  We will send you a password shortly thereafter and you can join in on the discussions with knowledgeable members.

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Blue Devil Nation Premium keeps it's members in the know on the recruiting front.  It was a busy weekend for Duke Basketball and we covered the events from end to end.  Want to know more about Plumlee?  How about a new 2009 prospect that's got them all talking in Kenny Hall?  Come on in and here it from the horses mouth.  Try us!

DURHAM, N.C. – After leading 11th-ranked Duke to two Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) victories and scoring 20 or more points in both contests over the weekend, Blue Devil junior Chante Black was named ACC Player of the Week on Monday. 

The honor for Black is the first of her career and marks the first time a Duke student-athlete has earned ACC Player of the Week this season. A Blue Devil has now received at least one weekly ACC award in 15 straight years. 

Black averaged 21.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 1.0 blocked shot last week for the Blue Devils. On Sunday against Virginia, the junior registered a career-high 22 points to go along with eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks. She hit 7-of-11 field goals and 8-of-9 free throws in the game. The victory for Duke clinched the No. 3 seed for the Blue Devils in the upcoming ACC Tournament.

A product of Winston-Salem, N.C., Black registered 20 points, five rebounds, four steals and one assist in 28 minutes at Virginia Tech on Friday. The 6-5 center hit 7-of-14 field goals and 6-of-8 free throws in the contest.

On the week, Black hit 56.0 percent of her field goals and 82.4 percent from the charity stripe. In addition, Black has started all 28 games this season and has totaled double-figure scoring in 24 of those 28 contests.

Boston College’s Carolyn Swords was named ACC Rookie of the Week.

Duke will next travel down Tobacco Road to face second-ranked North Carolina on Sunday, March 2 at 5:30 p.m., in Chapel Hill, N.C.

The Blue Devil Nation caught up with 2009 prospect Kenny Hall after his visit to Duke during the St. John's game on Saturday.  There is a detailed interview up on Blue Devil Nation Premium, our subscription service.  So come on in and check our exclusive interview with Hall and find out the deal on Mason Plumlee.  You can catch up on everything you have missed in our easy to use archives and then discuss all things Duke with members on our new BDN Premium Message Board.  If you have been sitting on the sidelines, now is the time to join, for the information is hot! 

BDN talked to Kenny Hall about his recruitment after the St. John's game.  Get to know the 2009 prospect in a detailed interview inside Blue Devil Nation Premium.

The Plumlee's have three sons who were on a Christ School team which won the North Carolina 3-A State Championship over the weekend.   The entire family visited Cameron Indoor Stadium for the Duke-St. John's game.

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The Blue Devils closed out their home season by defeating Virginia 78-70 on Senior Day.   The win assures the Devils of a third place seeding in the upcoming ACC Tournament.  Wanisha Smith made two free throws with 5:04 remaining in the second half which enabled Duke to pull even at 61 apiece.

Duke then had three consecutive steals, taking advantage of two to go up 65-61.  Two of those steals were made by freshman Jasmine Thomas and the other Careem Gay.  The Blue Devils never looked back after trailing by nine earlier in the half eventually going on a back breaking 11-0 run.

Wanisha Smith hit this key lay up to give Duke a 63-61 lead and the Devils never looked back.

"I think it was defense and learning from our previous games to have to fight to figure out a way when we're down in the second half to get a lead and keep the lead.  Just learning from previous games helped us a lot," said the senior Smith.

The Dukies were led by Chante Black's career high 22 points.  Wanisha Smith added 16 in her last game in Cameron.  She was honored along with Emily Waner at games end.  Duke had a 49-5 record at home during Smiths four year stint.

It seems like just yesterday when I snapped a picture Smith, who was then a rising senior in high school.  She visited Duke with Candace Parker of Tennessee during that recruiting weekend.  Candace got Shelden, but we got Wanisha and she proved to be a solid player over the years.

Duke will now travel to North Carolina to close their season next Sunday.  That game will be televised by Fox Sports Net at 5:50 p.m.  Duke is now 10-3 in the league and 21-7 overall.  Duke tied a season high with 24 free throws made on 30 attempts.  he Blue Devils also forced 22 turnovers, making this the 20th time that has happened this season.

Mason Plumlee just finished leading his team to a 50-41 win over Greensboro Day to win the 3-A North Carolina State Championship.  He scored 15 points and grabbed 5 rebounds to go with two crucial blocks.  He was named to the N.C. All State team just minutes ago.  He is currently headed to Cameron with his family for the St. John's game.  Blue Devil Nation Premium will have his thoughts on both games and much, much more later this evening.

Mason poses with the State Championship Trophy just moments ago.  He will now visit Duke for the St. John's game on an unofficial visit.

Mark's take - Duke will try to implement their will on St. John's tomorrow after dropping two conference games in a row.  The Devils got back to basics in practice this week, concentrating on defense and playing as a cohesive unit.  Duke is still nursing some injuries.  I feel as if Duke will rebound and use this game to make some adjustments on the court and in their minds.  The pick here is Duke 85 St. John's 63

Bob Green's take - The St. John's Redmen travel to Cameron Indoor Stadium as a 22 point underdog to a Duke club that has lost its last two games. I'm not sure there is ever a good time for non-conference opponents to play at CIS, Duke has defeated 58 straight non-ACC opponents at home, but St.John's timing couldn't be worse. Duke will be out to prove the two road losses were an anomaly by taking it to the Redmen for 40 minutes.

St. John's enters the game with a 10-15 record and riding a three game losing streak. They turn the ball over 15.3 times per game and only make 40.7% of their field goal attempts. I expect them to struggle to achieve those numbers against a Duke team that will focus on defense after two subpar performances. With Duke pressuring the ball, St. John's will turn it over often and Duke will force the Redmen into bad shot selection when they don't turn it over.

On offense, Duke has stated they desire to look inside for points. It will be interesting to see if Brian Zoubek can be an offensive factor in this game. His play has been improving as he returns to game shape after re-injuring the foot he had surgery on over the summer. I wouldn't be suprised to see the starting line-up shaken up for this game.

My prediction: Duke 84 - St. John's 58

I talked with DeMarcus Nelson and Nolan Smith today, as well as some people close to the team.  To hear the players comments and my thoughts on the state of the team click this link to the BDN Premium Message Board.  If you are a member and have not signed up, you should do so, for this information will not be in the premium section of the site.

Currently in BDN Premium - Complete coverage and comments on Duke Men's Basketball and continuing coverage of Duke prospect Mason Plumlee who is playing in the state championships in Raleigh and visiting Duke for the St. John's game this weekend.  You are not a member?  What are you waiting for?  Go to the paypal links to your left for a 3, 6 or 12 month memberships and we will send you your password.

•  Game 26  •

[5 AP/4 Coaches] Duke (22-3, 10-2 ACC) vs. St. John’s (10-15, 4-10 Big East)
Saturday, February 23, 2008  •  4:05 PM ET  •  CBS
Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314)  •  Durham, N.C.
 
Game Quick Facts
TV: CBS; Dick Enberg (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst).
 
Radio: Duke Radio Network (flagship WDNC 620 AM in Durham); Bob Harris ...   more »

Olek Czyz scored 25 points and Reno defeated Foothill 76 - 61 to qualify for the State Championship game. Reno lost to Foothill back in December but came away victorious in the more important play-off game. Reno will face Cheyenne in the Championship Game. Cheyenne defeated Douglas, 93 - 55, in the other semi-final game.

Here is more on Elliot Williams being selected as a McDonald's All-American and an article on Leslie McDonald being a finalist for Tennessee Mr. Basketball honors. Williams and McDonald will be back in play-off action Saturday February 23rd.

Mason Plumlee scored 14 points as Christ School defeated Providence Day, 63 - 44, in the quarterfinals of the NCISAA 3-A tournament at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh. There is a complete scouting report on Mason Plumlee in the Premium Newsletter.

DeShawn Painter posted an impressive double-double of 30 points and 17 rebounds, but Booker T. Washington dropped a 101 - 89 decision to Norcom. The game was tied 82 - 82 at the end of regulation before Norcom outscored BTW 19 - 7 in overtime.

Word had it, there was a promising basketball prospect at all-black John Langston High School just an hour up the road from Durham. A friend got Duke grad Al Newman (Class of 1948) to take a look. And that’s how, less by plan than by happenstance, the integration of Duke basketball began.

Newman, who has attended Blue Devil basketball games ...   more »

DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke University will honor several former Blue Devil standouts at Saturday’s men’s basketball game against St. John’s. Legendary head coach Vic Bubas will be recognized at halftime for his 2007 induction into the College Basketball Hall of Fame. Additionally, in recognition of Black History Month, Duke will honor Dr. C.B. Claiborne, Dr. William Turner, Dr. Clarence “C.G.” ...   more »

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Duke prospect Mason Plumlee led his team to a win today in Raleigh, North Carolina in the NCISAA tournament.  The Blue Devil Nation was on hand for his 14 point 10 rebound performance.   By joining BDN Premium you will get a complete breakdown of Mason's game and know all about his weekend plans which include a visit to Duke University with his parents.  So come on inside and see what you've been missing.  Discuss current happenings with other members and get the latest detailed information on all things Duke recruiting.  Paypal links are in the menu to your left for 3, 6 or 12 month memberships.

Duke 95  Miami 96

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- Looking to bounce back from their first league loss, the Duke Blue Devils instead stumbled again.

The Miami Hurricanes beat Duke (No. 4 ESPN/USA Today, No. 5 AP) for the first time in 45 years Wednesday, scoring 15 consecutive points to build a big lead early in the second half and holding on to win 96-95.

Ranked No. 2 just last week, the Blue Devils (22-3 overall, 10-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) lost for the second time in four days.

Miami (18-7, 5-6) beat Duke for the first time since the first game in the series Dec. 21, 1962. The Blue Devils had won all 10 games since.

Box Score

The game just ended and Duke lost to Miami by one but I am already over it.  Sure it hurts and yes the media will have their fun and the UNC fans will howl.  Still, the sun will rise and when it does Duke is still tied for the lead in the ACC.  Not only are they tied for the ACC lead, they are one up on their arch rival which would give the Dukies the regular season title if it ended today.

True, there are more games to go and that's a good thing.  You see, it is far from over and in the end it's how the Blue Devils play in March.  This is a relatively young team that is learning a tough lesson or two, but they will harden and grow from the back to back losses.  Nobody thought Duke would even be in the Top Ten, much less atop the ACC.

I've seen a lot of Duke Basketball games fover the years olks!  I have seen adversity before with both good and great teams.  There is another thing I saw tonight though which was familiar.  That being the look in the Blue Devils eyes.  It's the same hurt I saw after the Pitt game.  Duke is frustrated right now and believe me nobody wants to take on a Duke team with a chip on it's shoulder.

Even more familiar than the players look was Coach K at games end.  He has seen this before from a much better angle than me and he has consistently adapted.  This is a great group of kids who are more lovable than likable to this supporter.  I will win with them and lose with them, but more importantly I will back them when they need a fan the most.

Yep!  I rest better knowing this team will be back to their winning ways soon enough and I will be there with them starting this Saturday against St. Johns.  Duke will adjust and as fans we must do the same.  Trust me, the ride has just begun and I will surely wear my Duke attire as proud as ever tomorrow.

Jim Sumner has a well researched piece up on Duke players history in the NBA at the DBR.  It is well worth the read especially if you want to know all things Duke.  I don't think that some fans take time out to appreciate school history as they should.

Meanwhile at Go Duke.com, Bill Brill of the Blue Devil Weekly chimes in Duke's first ACC loss in a his own unique way.

Speaking of BDW, one of the busiest men in Duke Basketball John Roth takes a look at the latest NBA happenings.  John is headed to Miami with Bob Harris for tonight's broadcast and will be featured here in the near future.

Finally, there is the so-called squabble between Roy Williams and Coach K.  Some feel as if Coach K directed some comments towards Roy and UNC, but it was veiled at best.  Everybody seems to have a take on this one, but what is not mentioned in most local articles is that Williams took what seemingly looks like the first shot when he talked, again in a somewhat veiled way about Duke's marketing. 

We all know that the Duke-UNC feud is deep, but until those comments it seemed as if it had died down a bit.  Perhaps K did get under Williams skin.  I mean, Roy sort of lost his composure during a recent press conference uttering a curse word and some substitutes where curse words might normally be used.  K had no response, and why would he with the Miami game in just over 24 hours. 

 There is no doubt that K's language in the past has been a bit suspect at times in practice or on the court, but what many seem to ignore is that Williams mouth is just as bad but in a different way.  I remember everybody saying K would have trouble with the new rules this season regarding language.  Well, his one technical was for coming out of the box.  At least the FCC won't be calling him.  Trust me, you see a lot on the recruiting trails when coaches don't think anyone is listening in.  Hopefully, the latest will be water under the bridge in due time.

Like I said, everybody has a take.  Okay, enough already!  Here is a link which talks of the percentages which may be necessary for ACC teams to get into the NCAA's

Elliot Williams made McDonald's All American.  Congrats to the future Dukie!

It was the last game of the year for American Heritage and Kenny Boyton Jr.  His team fell to Pincrest who was led by Brandon Knights 38 points.

Bob Green's take - my prognosticator confidence level took a big hit when I was so wrong about the Wake Forest game, but I've taken three deep breaths and I'm ready to jump back into the fray. Duke needs to respond, after suffering their second loss of the season, with a solid performance in Coral Gables. It is important to note that the team doesn't need a dominating win they need to win with a solid performance. I anticipate a return to the recipe that has brought success all season: balanced scoring, taking care of the basketball, and defensive pressure.
 
To win Duke will need to do all the things they did in the first game. The Blue Devils shot 40% from beyond the 3-point arc to the Canes 27.3%, outrebounded the Canes 37 - 34, dished out 13 assists to Miami's 11, turned the ball over 11 times compared to 14 for Miami, and outscored Miami from the Free Throw line 26 - 12. The result was a solid 88 - 73 victory.
 
Duke is in the driver's seat of the ACC race and a win over Miami on the road is the next important step. With Gerald Henderson struggling with his midrange game due to his injured wrist and Jon Scheyer in a shooting slump, Nolan Smith needs to step up his game on both ends of the court. Nolan played magnificently against Wake Forest and he must build on that performance as we rapidly approach March and tournament time. We also need Jon Scheyer to find his stroke. Jon is shooting 35.1% (13 - 37) from the field in the month of February after shooting 47.4% (27 - 57) in January.
 
My prediction: Duke 78 - Miami 72.

Mark's take - Duke has had very little time to think about the Wake Forest loss before they take the long trip to southern Florida to face Miami.  The Hurricane's played a very physical game in Durham before Duke pulled away at the end.  You have heard talk of wounded teams and Miami fits that mold.  While they have a nice overall record they have stumbled in the conference. 

It will be important for Greg Paulus to be on his game this evening, not to mention Jon Scheyer and other Devils who had a sub par game in the last outing.  This game is important in the race for the regular season for Duke and a Blue Devil win would send Miami's NCAA hopes reeling.  That said, bet on a physical game unless Duke can take the home crowd and Canes out with their three point shooting.  One thing for certain is that you will see a lot of effort on the courts.

I have faith that Coach K will right the ship and Duke will escape with a 84-73 win.