All the tinkering that coach Mike Krzyzewski has done to build his playing rotation is putting Duke solidly into championship contention.
Duke sits atop the ACC heading into today's game against Florida State at Cameron Indoor Stadium (4 p.m., ESPN Ch. 33) and can tie the school record for consecutive home-court victories at 46.
With a different starting lineup, and with guard Austin Rivers and forward Ryan Kelly coming off the bench, Duke will be making a quick turnaround after defeating Wake Forest on Thursday.
"It's a huge game, playing for first place in the ACC, and we've got one day of preparation," Kelly said. "We have to be ready to go.
"It'll be a big step for our team. The way (the Seminoles) have played so far, they're playing really well at this time, and we need to step up and play our best to win."
Duke (16-2, 4-0 ACC) is the last unbeaten team left in conference play. FSU (12-6, 3-1) is eight days removed from a 90-57 home victory against North Carolina.
Rivers came off the bench for the first time this season against Wake Forest.
Andre Dawkins started in his place. Kelly was replaced by Miles Plumlee.
Dawkins made seven 3-point shots and scored 21 points. Rivers and Kelly scored 20 points each, leading a Duke bench that scored 43.
The newest playing rotation will go against one of the ACC's top defensive teams built around Bernard James, a 6-foot-10 senior who averages 8.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots.
FSU has the best field-goal defense in the ACC, holding opponents to 36.7 percent. The Seminoles also hold opponents to 26.6-percent shooting from 3-point range and lead the ACC with 8.8 steals and 6.6 blocks a game.
Rivers said he had no objections about moving out of the starting lineup after 17 consecutive starts.
"Pointing a finger and being a coward isn't going to do anything," he said.
"I have to step up and mature the best I can. Whether I play five minutes or 30 minutes, I'm going to go out there and play hard."
Kelly is averaging 16.8 points as a reserve and has scored 20 in two of Duke's four ACC games.
How players contribute is of little concern to Krzyzewski, as long as they play hard, smart and efficient basketball.
"I don't like the word 'bench.' I don't know where that word comes from," Krzyzewski said. "Bench means that he sat on the bench. To me, (Rivers) scored 20 points and played 32 minutes. Everybody should be benched like that.
"It's our look at trying to look at different lineups, different ways of doing this team. Eight of our guys have started, so when one guy isn't starting, it doesn't mean he's awful. It means we're looking at a little bit different thing or way of doing the game. And that's just the way our team has to be."
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