Duke will play in New York for the second time this season, and N.C. State will make a second trip back to its old basketball home in games this weekend.
Duke will meet Washington at noon today at Madison Square Garden (WFMY Ch. 9), and N.C. State will play N.C. Central at 3 p.m. Sunday at Reynolds Coliseum (FSCR Ch. 46).
In its last trip to the Garden, on Nov. 15, Duke defeated Michigan State 74-69 to give Mike Krzyzewski his 903rd coaching victory and the record for most victories by a major-college men's coach.
Although Duke is 8-1 and Washington is 4-3, Krzyzewski has at least two concerns, including the end of the first semester and preparations for final exams.
"This is a tough week for our kids (academically)," Krzyzewski said. "The week before exams, you can go brain-dead with all the stuff. We play against the most athletic team we've played against in Washington."
Duke will try to continue its recovery from an 85-63 loss at Ohio State on Nov. 29. Duke defeated Colorado State 87-64 on Wednesday in Durham in its first game since the loss.
Junior forward Ryan Kelly said he thought the game got the Blue Devils going again.
"I think the biggest thing was our defensive pressure," Kelly said. "We certainly still have areas to improve in that, but guys are getting into the passing lanes and forcing some turnovers.
"And the full-court pressure was good. If we can continue to get better at that, it's an evolution of our team which will make us better."
Krzyzewski changed the starting lineup against Colorado State, but the Blue Devils could be without junior Andre Dawkins, a reserve guard who suffered a slight back injury against Colorado State and didn't play in the last 23:13.
"We're looking at ways of getting better," Krzyzewski said. "We're still very much a developing team. We've had a very difficult schedule, and it will continue through Washington."
N.C. State is 5-3 in its first season under coach Mike Gottfried and will be trying to stop a two-game losing streak.
State played Elon in Reynolds — the home arena of the Wolfpack's two national championship teams — on Nov. 25 and won 82-67.
N.C. Central is 5-4 and will be playing its second ACC team this season. It lost 93-79 at Wake Forest on Nov. 20.
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