Courtesy: Duke Photography

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke (18-3, 5-2), eighth in the AP poll and 10th in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, faces unranked Virginia (13-6, 5-2) on Thursday at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. with ESPN televising the contest.

The Blue Devils are coming off their fifth straight conference win, a 75-61 victory over Boston College at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Sunday. Junior DeMarcus Nelson paced Duke with 17 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal in the win. Nelson was 8-of-16 from the floor, including 1-of-2 from three-point distance, in 36 minutes of play.

Josh McRoberts posted his second consecutive double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. He went 6-of-10 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line and also added three assists and five blocks. Freshmen Jon Scheyer (11) and Lance Thomas (10) also reached double-figures in scoring, while David McClure added nine points for the Blue Devils.

Duke posted a 41-30 rebounding edge, including a 26-12 advantage on the defensive backboard. Thomas posted a career-high nine rebounds, including five offensive boards, in the win. Nelson also had five offensive rebounds as Duke finished with 15 rebounds on the offensive end of the floor.

The Blue Devils shot 50.0 percent (28-of-56) from the field and 84.2 percent (16-of-19) from the foul line in the contest. Duke also limited Boston College to 34.5 percent (20-of-58) shooting from the field, including 4-of-16 (25.0 pct.) from three-point distance.

Storylines

• Duke leads the all-time series with Virginia 107-47, including a 43-15 mark under Mike Krzyzewski. The Blue Devils have won nine straight in the series and 22 of the last 24 meetings against the Cavaliers.
• The Blue Devils have been ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll for eight weeks this season. Duke is 742-167 (.816) all-time when ranked in the top 10, including a 10-2 mark in 2006-07. Krzyzewski-led Duke teams have been ranked in the top 10 a total of 331 weeks.
• Duke has won five straight games since losing back-to-back contests to open ACC play. Three of the five wins were by at least 20 points (+16.6 scoring margin) with the Blue Devils allowing just 57.2 points per game in that span.
• Duke posted a 44-22 advantage on points in the paint in Sunday’s win over Boston College. In the last five games, the Blue Devils are averaging 36.8 points in the paint per game. Duke has a +11.2 edge on points in the paint in the last five games.
• The Blue Devils have outrebounded the opposition 18 times this season, including a 41-30 edge on the glass against Boston College on Sunday. Duke, 16-2 when outrebounding its opponent, is ranked 15th in the NCAA with a +7.1 rebound margin. The Blue Devils have outrebounded an opponent by at least 10 rebounds seven times this year, including two straight games with a double-digit advantage in team rebounds. Josh McRoberts has led the Blue Devils in rebounds 16 times this season, including five double-figure rebounding efforts.
• The Blue Devils are shooting 50.4 percent (135-of-268) from the field during their current five-game win streak. David McClure (65.2), Lance Thomas (66.7 pct.), Gerald Henderson (52.0 pct.), Josh McRoberts (55.3 pct.), DeMarcus Nelson (51.7 pct.) and Martynas Pocius (50.0) are all shooting over 50.0 percent from the field during that stretch. Duke is limiting the opposition to 39.4 percent (98-of-249) from the field during the streak.
• Junior DeMarcus Nelson has reached double-figures in scoring a team-high 18 times this season and is 16th in the ACC in scoring at 14.5 ppg. He is also eighth in the league in field goal percentage (.509 - 114-of-224). Nelson leads the team in steals with 32 and is second in rebounding at 5.6 rpg. He is one of just three guards (joining N.C. State’s Gavin Grant and Boston College’s Sean Marshall) in the ACC averaging more than five rebounds per game. Nelson has grabbed eight rebounds in each of the last two games and has five or more rebounds in 14 games this season.
• Sophomore Josh McRoberts, a Midseason Top 30 candidate for the Wooden Award, has registered a double-double in each of the last two games and is tied for third in the ACC with five double-doubles this season. The Carmel, Ind., native ranks 23rd in the ACC in scoring (13.0 ppg.), second in rebounding (8.1 rpg.), second in blocks (2.48 bpg.) and 10th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.63:1). McRoberts has scored in double-figures in 11 straight games and in 14 of the last 16 contests.
• Freshman Jon Scheyer is averaging a team-best 15.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game over the last five games. He also has 14 assists and a 2.8:1 assist-to-turnover ratio in the same stretch. Scheyer knocked down 4-of-4 free throws against Boston College and has now made 29 straight free throws (tied with Trajan Langdon for fourth-most in Duke history). On the year, Scheyer is shooting 87.1 percent (74-of-85) from the free throw line, third-best in the ACC. Scheyer is also tied for eighth in the ACC in three-point field goals (1.89 pg.) and eighth in minutes played (33.95 pg.).
• David McClure, one of the catalysts in Duke’s five-game win streak, is doubtful for the Virginia game after suffering a hyperextended left knee following a second-half collision in Duke’s 75-61 victory over Boston College on Jan. 28. McClure is averaging 8.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals over the last five games. He has also made 15-of-23 (65.2 pct.) shots from the field and 11-of-14 (78.6 pct.) free throws during that span.
• Josh McRoberts is currently averaging 13.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.5 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. No player in Duke history has averaged more than 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.0 steals for a season. Grant Hill (1993-94) is the only player in Duke history to average at least 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. Only three players (Dick Groat - 1951-52; Danny Ferry - 1986-87 & 1988-89; Grant Hill - 1991-92 & 1993-94) have averaged at least 10 points, five rebounds and four assists per game in a season for the Blue Devils.
• Duke will retire J.J. Redick’s number 4 jersey on Feb. 4 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Redick will be the 13th player to be honored at “Retirement Day” at Duke, joining Dick Groat (10), Art Heyman (25), Jeff Mullins (44), Mike Gminski (43), Johnny Dawkins (24), Danny Ferry (35), Christian Laettner (32), Bobby Hurley (11), Grant Hill (33), Shane Battier (31), Jason Williams (22) and Shelden Williams (23).