Courtesy: Associated Press

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke (9-1), sixth in both the AP poll and ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, faces unranked Kent State (5-3) on Tuesday at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. with ESPN televising the contest.      

The Blue Devils posted a 69-53 home win over George Mason on Saturday, Dec. 9, in their last outing. With the win over the Patriots, Duke extended its home non-conference win streak to 48 games, the longest current streak in the nation.

Junior DeMarcus Nelson and freshman Jon Scheyer each scored career-highs against the Patriots. Nelson went 8-of-10 from the field, including 3-of-4 from three-point distance, and 5-of-5 from the foul line to score 24 points and surpass the 20-point plateau for the second time this season. The Elk Grove, Calif., native also added four rebounds and four assists in 36 minutes of action.

Scheyer was 6-of-12 from the field and knocked down 4-of-7 three-point attempts en route to an 18-point afternoon. He also dished out a career-high six assists. Sophomore Josh McRoberts continued to show his diverse skill set, finishing with seven points, eight rebounds, two steals and a career-high eight assists in the win over George Mason.

As a team, Duke shot 50.0 percent (25-of-50) from the floor and 45.0 percent (9-of-20) from three-point range. The Blue Devils recorded a season-high 21 assists (on just 25 made field goals), while committing just 11 turnovers. The starting lineup of McRoberts, Nelson, Scheyer, Lance Thomas and Greg Paulus combined for 20 assists and just six turnovers (3.33:1 assist-to-turnover ratio).

Storylines

• Duke is 5-1 all-time against current members of the Mid-American Conference. The Blue Devils have won three straight against MAC foes. Mike Krzyzewski is 3-1 against the MAC while at Duke. The Blue Devils’ only loss to a Mid-American Conference team was a 75-60 decision against Eastern Michigan on March 14, 1996 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
• Duke leads the country in consecutive non-conference home wins with 48. The next closest streak is 33 straight non-conference home wins by Sam Houston State. Duke’s last home loss against a non-conference foe was an 83-82 decision against St. John’s on Feb. 26, 2000. The 48 straight non-conference home wins is the second-longest streak in school history. The Blue Devils won 95 consecutive non-conference home tilts from Feb. 2, 1983 through Nov. 29, 1995.
• The Blue Devils have 19 home games on the schedule this season, the most in school history. The previous high was 17 during the 1996-97 season. Duke went 15-2 at Cameron Indoor Stadium that season. The school record for home wins in a season is 16, set in 1990-91 when the team was a perfect 16-0 at home. The Blue Devils are 8-0 at home this season, marking the 31st time  (1936, 1940, 1942, 1950, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007) the team has opened a season with eight straight home wins. Duke has accomplished that feat 16 times under Coach K, including each of the last 10 seasons.
• Sophomore Josh McRoberts, a preseason Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy candidate, is among the most versatile big men in the country. The 6-10, 240-pound forward leads the Blue Devils in rebounds (6.8 rpg.), blocks (2.1 bpg.), assists (4.1 apg.), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.78:1) and free throws made (33). He is also second on the team in scoring (11.0 ppg.) and made field goals (38). In Duke’s last outing, he had seven points, eight rebounds, two steals and a career-high eight assists in 37 minutes of action.
• Junior DeMarcus Nelson scored a career-high 24 points in Duke’s 69-53 win over George Mason. He has now scored in double-figures in nine of 10 games this season. Duke is 8-1 on the year and 21-3 in his career when Nelson reaches double-figures in scoring. Nelson, who entered the year as a career 42.3 percent shooter, ranks eighth in the ACC in field goal percentage (54.9 pct. - 50-of-91), including 47.4 pct. (18-of-38) from three-point distance.
  Freshman Jon Scheyer has been one of Duke’s most consistent players through 10 games. The Northbrook, Ill., native has reached double-figures in scoring six times and is third on the team in scoring at 10.2 ppg. He is shooting 44.7 percent (17-of-38) from three-point distance and leads Duke in free throw percentage (.784 - 29-of-37). In last Saturday’s win over George Mason, Scheyer scored a career-high 18 points and dished out a season-best six assists. He also matched his season high with four treys.
• After struggling with turnovers (17.8 topg.) in the first nine games, Duke recorded a season-low 11 turnovers in the win over George Mason. The Blue Devils also had a season-high 21 assists, including career high assist totals from Josh McRoberts (8) and Jon Scheyer (6), against the Patriots. Duke’s season-high 21 assists against George Mason came on 25 field goals, meaning 84.0 percent of its field goals were assisted. 
• Duke held George Mason to 53 points, which is actually the most by a Duke opponent in eight home games this season. Duke has held five of its eight opponents under 50 points at home while Indiana (51), Georgetown (52) and George Mason (53) have eclipsed the half-century mark. Duke held George Mason to 22 first half points and has now held the opposition under 30 points in a half 13 times out of 20 halves played. Duke is holding its opponents to 34.6 percent (150-of-433) shooting from the field and an average of just 48.4 points per game at Cameron this season.
• The Blue Devils are limiting opponents to an ACC-low 24.5 percent (38-of-155) shooting from three-point distance this year, while shooting an ACC-best 43.4 percent (56-of-129) on treys. In the month of December, Duke is holding the opposition to 19.1 percent (9-of-47) shooting from three-point range.