FrontRowSportsReport.com: Sports Blog

Just in time for the next College Basketball rankings, the #2 Duke Blue Devils were upset late last night by the unranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The Demon Deacons not only beat the 2nd ranked Blue Devils, but beat them convincingly 86-73.

The Demon Deacons (16-8, 6-5) snapped Duke’s 12 game winning streak, were led by Jeff Teague who scored a game high 26 points and James Johnson who put in 24 points and a game high 16 rebounds. The Demon Deacons , who played at home and won their 3rd straight game, were not fazed by the heavily favored Blue Devils. “I watched them on TV and I dreamed about Carolina and Duke,” Teague said “Playing Duke, they’re going to pressure you. That’s why I want to play. I’m not an All-American or nothing, but I want to go out and try to beat one.”

The Blue Devils (22-2, 10-1) had one their previous 12 games by an average of 14.3 points. The Blue Devils only loss this season was by one point in overtime to the Pittsburgh Panthers. Duke was led by freshman guard Nolan Smith who scored 21 points and senior guard Demarcus Nelson who had 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.

In the end it was the Demon Deacons defense that did Duke in, at one point the Blue Devils were held without a field goal for more than 7 minutes. But, the Blue Devils were also plagued by foul trouble and  started the game with a lack of energy. “Tonight, we played like we’ve already done something, and the team that had to win won,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “We have to always play like we have to win. That’s the sign of a champion. That’s a part of learning. We have some young guys who haven’t been champions before, and they’re trying to learn how to be that. Sometimes the best lessons are ones that are taught in defeat.”

The soon to drop Blue Devils now head to Miami to try and get their winning ways back, the Demon Deacons have a tough road trip ahead as they play the North Carolina Tar Heels.