DURHAM, N.C. _ It's hard enough playing Duke after a Blue Devils loss.
But after a 22-point loss?
Virginia Tech had the unenviable task Saturday of facing the sixth-ranked Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the first game after Duke's thorough beating at N.C. State. The result was in many ways predictable.
The Blue Devils, who showed little fight in the loss to the unranked Wolfpack, ripped the Hokies, 88-64. The Devils (23-4, 13-3 ACC) had their game faces on from the playing of the national anthem _ senior forward Jack White ever so stern as the two teams faced each other before the game _ and then put on a basketball clinic.
"They were ready to go," Virginia Tech coach Mike Young said. "They played an awfully fine game. They blitzed us early and often."
Cassius Stanley, on target from the start, had 21 points and Vernon Carey Jr. and Matthew Hurt 16 each for the Blue Devils.
Duke's Tre Jones hit a 3-pointer from the key to open the game. Moments later, Jones hit another. The Blue Devils were off and flying, working hard at both ends of the court, knocking down shots, active on defense, showing spirit, enjoying themselves.
In other words, doing all the things they didn't do against N.C. State.
Stanley drained a pair of 3's and when Carey stepped out and swished a 3-pointer from the top of the key, Young had seen enough. The Hokies used a timeout, trailing 28-14, but it didn't get any better for Virginia Tech (15-12, 6-10 ACC).
By halftime, the Blue Devils led 51-25. Stanley had hit four 3s and had 16 points. After going 4 for 17 on 3s in the 88-66 loss to the Wolfpack, Duke was 8 of 15 in the opening half and 10-22 on two-point shots.
Defense? Virginia Tech scored .694 points per possession in first half. Against N.C. State Wednesday, Duke allowed Wolfpack to score 1.16 points per possession _ Duke's worst defensive efficiency for a single game this season.
In one first-half sequence, Hurt chased down a loose ball on defense and raced up the court. He scored on the fast break, drawing a foul. It also had Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski up and clapping for the effort from the freshman.
The Hokies' Landers Nolley II, a 6-7 freshman forward averaging 17.3 points a game, did not score in the first half, missing all five shots from the field and finished with three points. Tyrece Radford led the Hokies with 16 points.
It was a tough situation for Virginia Tech, which has lost seven of its past eight games. The Hokies put in a three-overtime game Wednesday against Miami, losing 102-95 after leading by seven points with five minutes left in regulation.
"I don't think that game against Miami had any effect on our team. I thought Duke was that good," Young said.
The Blue Devils topped the Hokies 77-63 in the game Dec. 6 in Blacksburg, Va. But Duke trailed at halftime and needed a 21-4 run in the second half to break it open.
Not this night.
