Duke to face tough road test vs. Clemson

By: By Bill Cole | JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: January 23, 2010

ACC road games are proving to be especially hazardous for the conference's traditional kingpins this season.

And one of those teams, Duke, will be back on the road today for a crucial ACC showdown -- at Clemson at 9 p.m. (ESPN Ch. 33).

The outcome is vital to the regular-season title chances for both teams. The loser will be saddled with a third ACC loss and will have a big hill to climb to reach first place.

Duke is 15-3 (3-2 ACC) and has taken all three losses on the road, the most recent at N.C. State on Wednesday.

"We have to get back on track," forward Lance Thomas said. "We've got to get back to what we were doing before. We have a short turnaround in preparation for Clemson, but we have to get it done. We'll find a way to make it happen. We'll get back."

Tonight's game will be the second between the teams in three weeks. Duke won the first 74-53 on Jan. 3 in Durham, but Clemson's players are hoping that a game on their turf will be an equalizer.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski expects Duke's second basketball "war" in seven days. The first came at home in a win over Wake Forest. Clemson, led by Trevor Booker, has players who can turn any game physical.

Clemson has already routed North Carolina by 19 points at home. The Tigers' pressure defense rattled the Tar Heels in the first two minutes, and the noise from a sellout crowd made a comeback difficult.

Krzyzewski expects the same conditions, or worse, for Duke. Jubilant N.C. State fans stormed the court at the RBC Center after Wednesday's upset.

"I think we'll see it everywhere," Krzyzewski said. "There's not a place we play that's not energized -- for the last 25 years. We're accustomed to it."

Clemson (15-4, 3-2) shot 32.7 percent from the field in its first game against Duke and has been below 40 percent in all four losses.

Krzyzewski considers Clemson's shooting accuracy a key. If Clemson is making shots, Duke isn't doing its job on defense, and Krzyzewski said he though that led to the loss at State.

"Our defense was the worst it's been all year," he said. "It was never, ever good."

Duke has been one of the ACC's top road teams under Krzyzewski, who's confident that this team can be as successful as its predecessors if it can breakthrough today.

"I think the conference race is wide open," he said. "Who is healthy, who is fresh and when you play people, all of those things have to be taken into consideration. There's a balance you have to have between getting your players energized and getting them ready."

bcole@wsjournal.com