Duke enters Saturday’s game with an 11-1 overall record and riding a seven game winning streak. The most recent victory was a seven point victory over Gonzaga in New York City’s Madison Square Garden in which the Blue Devils rallied from an early nine point deficit behind a brillant performance from Josh McRoberts and a career night from Greg Paulus. Things haven’t been nearly as good for the Spartans, who enter the game with a 1-10 overall record, on the heels of a 104-77 loss to Cal State Fullerton in their last game. On the whole the Spartans have lost four straight games by an average of 14.0 points per game.

The Spartans have 12 players on the roster averaging 8.7 or more minutes per game. And only six of those players have appeared in every contest as Coach Nessman continues to experiment with a team made up of players that have continually suffered defeats throughout their college career. Recently he gave Devonte Thomas his first collegiate start against Long Beach State. The freshman responded with a double-double (15 & 10), and has been a starter ever since averaging 17.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and shooting 68.8 percent (15-of-22) from the field as a starter. He also has the team’s best field goal percentage figure of 58.7 percent heading into the Duke game.

I don’t expect this game to be close at all.  Duke should play lights out and win by atleast 25 points.  McRoberts will have a great game, and you will see Zoubek and Thomas get more involved like they were earlier this season.

Our Prediction: Duke 83 San Jose State 52

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Freshman Jon Scheyer has been named the ACC player of the week for his great perfomances.  In earning the league’s rookie award for the first time this season, Scheyer averaged 15.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in two Blue Devil victories. The Northbrook, Ill., freshman scored 17 points and pulled down three rebounds in Monday’s 79-72 win over Kent State. Two nights later, Scheyer tallied 14 points and pulled down four rebounds in a 61-54 victory over 22nd-ranked Gonzaga.

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The Duke men’s basketball team (11-1) moved into both the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 5 with the rankings this week. For the AP poll, it marks the 289th poll the Blue Devils have been ranked in the Top 5 all-time and Duke owns a 474-88 record all-time as a Top 5 ranked team.The Blue Devils moved up one spot from No. 6 in the latest poll and currently sit behind No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 North Carolina, No. 3 Florida and No. 4 Wisconsin in both polls.  Both polls also have Ohio State at No. 6 and Arizona at No. 7, as well.

Duke returns to the court with a home game against San Jose State Dec. 31, 2006, at 1 p.m. ET.  The game will be televised nationally by Fox Sports Net.

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What a game for Greg Paulus last night.  With a lot of friends and family at the Garden last night, Paulus turned in his best game of his career with 20 points, hitting wide open shots, and also playing good defense.  Josh McRoberts also stepped up in the second half to help the Blue Devils win 61-54.

The Blue Devil defense held hot shooting Derek Raivio to only 4 points, 16 points below his season average.  Alot of credit has to goto Jon Scheyer who really played great defense on Raivio all night long.

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Another high profile game for the Duke Blue Devils as they travel to New York City to face the Gonzaga Bulldogs.  Another tough game for Gonzaga as they are playing a bruteful non-conference schedule this year.  Gonzaga has already beaten North Carolina, Texas, and Washington.

Look for a fast paced game with the Zags as they usually take the first open shot they see and many of those will be three pointers.  Derek Raivio will be leading the Zags as he is trying to take over Adam Morrison’s spot from last year.  Raivio is averaging 20 points a game so far this season.

For Duke to win tonight, McRoberts is going have to score around 20 points, and the same with Nelson.  Paulus cannot have 5+ tournovers and needs to chip in with 8-10 points as well.  Look for Jon Scheyer to continue his hot shooting and help out also.

My Prediction:  Duke 70 Gonzaga 69

The Josh McRoberts that everyone has been waiting to see finally showed up last night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.  McRoberts took over the game late in the second half, and put the Devils on his back for a 79-72 win against pesky Kent State.

The 6-foot-10 sophomore scored 11 of his career-high 19 points in the second half and sparked the decisive spurt to help the sixth-ranked Blue Devils rally past the Golden Flashes.  McRoberts had a career-high six blocks, six rebounds, four assists and four steals for the Blue Devils (10-1), making him the first player in school history to tally at least four in all five categories. And whether it was scoring inside or grabbing rebounds and leading the break, McRoberts was the riddle the Golden Flashes (5-4) just couldn’t solve.

DeMarcus Nelson added 18 points for the Blue Devils, freshman Jon Scheyer added 17 points and point guard Greg Paulus had 12 points and five assists in one of his best performances this season.

Up next for the Duke Blue Devils is Gonzaga in New York City on Thursday.

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In front of nearly 2,000 curious spectators, Kyle Singler showed Rogue Valley basketball fans last Friday just how far he’s taken his game since we last saw him go head-to-head against Lake Oswego’s Kevin Love in the Class 4A state championship game last March.

Singler was good enough then to be an elite Division I recruit, with the likes of Duke, UCLA, Arizona, Kansas and Washington in hot pursuit of his hoop services.

After watching him dominate another D1 recruit — Canby’s Clint Chapman — in a 78-56 Panthers victory, it’s evident that the 6-foot-9, 215-pound Singler is nearly twice the player he was nine months ago.

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Duke Basketball

The sixth-ranked Blue Devils (9-1) haven’t lost since a 73-62 defeat to then-No. 13 Marquette in the championship game of the CBE Classic at Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 21. Duke has run off five straight wins following that defeat, all at Cameron Indoor Stadium, a run that includes victories over Indiana and then-No. 18 Georgetown.The Blue Devils will try to avoid looking ahead to Thursday’s matchup with No. 22 Gonzaga at Madison Square Garden.

Duke will rely on its tough defense as it tries to knock off Kent State (5-3) before heading to New York. The Devils have been especially stingy at home, allowing 48.4 points per game - sixth in the nation. No visiting team has topped 53 points at Cameron this season.

The Blue Devils have been off since a 69-53 victory over George Mason on Dec. 9 due to exams. DeMarcus Nelson scored a season-high 24 points and freshman Jon Scheyer added 18 for Duke.

Our prediction:  Duke 68 Kent State 55

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The Austin Toros of the NBA Development League have acquired guard Jason (Jay) Williams and waived guard Melvin Scott (North Carolina).Williams, 6-2, 195, was the second overall selection in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls and was the recipient of the 2002 Naismith and Wooden Awards following his final season at Duke, given annually to the nation’s best collegiate basketball player. Williams led Duke to the national championship in 2001 and was a two-time Associated Press first-team All-America selection.

He is continuing his basketball comeback after severing a nerve in his leg, fracturing his pelvis and tearing three of the four main ligaments in his left knee in a motorcycle crash in June of 2003. Williams reports to the Toros on Sunday and will play for former NBA great Dennis Johnson, in his second season as head coach at Austin.

Good Luck Jason, everyone at JustDuke.Com wishes you the best and hope you can make a return to the NBA.

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Well the rumors that started a few weeks ago about Jamal Boykin possibly transferring are true.  Boykin who hasn’t played much this year due to mono has decided to transfer back to a school in California reports are saying.

Boykin was considered a reach for the Blue Devils when he was coming out of Fairfax High (Calif.), but Duke was in need of a body up front and also needed four-year players to complement a class with Josh McRoberts.

Boykin played in 26 games his freshman campaign and logged a total of 70 minutes.

The departure may actually help the Blue Devils, who now have an extra scholarship if they want to sign another player in the spring. The only player that the Blue Devils are focusing on is Huntington High (West Va.) power forward Patrick Patterson.