Duke vs. Wisconsin: Score and Twitter Reaction for ACC

Most assumed that if No. 4 Duke was going to beat No. 2 Wisconsin at the Kohl Center in Madison, it would take a big game from a certain freshman. And they were right about that.

They just targeted the wrong freshman.

Tyus Jones scored 22 points to go with six rebounds and four assists Wednesday night, leading the Blue Devils to an 80-70 win over the Badgers in a matchup of two legitimate Final Four contenders.

No. 4 Duke beats No. 2 Wisconsin 80-70! http://ift.tt/1ynYMk0

- College Basketball (@br_CBB) December 4, 2014

In a game hyped by the individual battle of Jahlil Okafor (13 points, six rebounds) and Frank Kaminsky (17 points, nine rebounds), arguably the two best centers in America, it was Duke's backcourt that was on display in the victory.

Sports Illustrated's Brian Hamilton noted the mistake-free play from Jones and senior Quinn Cook:

#Duke 's starting backcourt has two turnovers in 67 combined minutes, on the road, in the Kohl Center, against the No. 2 team in the country.

- Brian Hamilton (@BrianHamiltonSI) December 4, 2014

Traevon Jackson had 25 points on 12 shots in the defeat, but Wisconsin simply couldn't slow down the Blue Devils, who shot 65.2 percent from the field and finished with a jaw-dropping offensive rating of 132.9.

It was a deafening statement made by Mike Krzyzewski's squad:

So that was Duke starting three freshmen and beating No. 2 Wisconsin convincingly. The sky - or Kentucky - is the limit for the Blue Devils

- David Gardner (@byDavidGardner) December 4, 2014

Okafor scored Duke's first four points of the game but didn't attempt a shot in the final 15 minutes of the first half. That was partly due to a couple of unnecessary fouls that sent him to the bench. Sporting News' Michael DeCourcy noted the talented freshmen still clearly has some things to learn:

Okafor spent two fouls 20 feet from the goal. Gotta learn.

- Michael DeCourcy (@tsnmike) December 4, 2014

Still, with Okafor silenced and fellow freshman Justise Winslow making his impact on the defensive end, the Blue Devils showcased their depth. Jones and Cook each hit a pair of threes, while Rasheed Sulaimon chipped in five points off the bench to lead Duke to a 35-32 lead at intermission.

At the same time, though, Wisconsin had to feel fortunate about the score, as Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis pointed :

If you had told Bo Ryan this afternoon Duke would shoot 60 pct in first half and Wisc would have 2 FTs he'd have guessed he'd be down by 10.

- Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) December 4, 2014

The beginning of the second half belonged to Jones, though.

Using his quickness to get into the lane at will-a common theme of the second half-the young point guard was directly responsible for 11 (eight points, one assist on a Sulaimon three) of Duke's first 13 points.

Hamilton was impressed by the freshman's seemingly unflappable demeanor in the difficult environment:

Tyus Jones has 16 for #Duke. He's a freshman, playing in Thunderdome for his first true road game. Precocious calm.

- Brian Hamilton (@BrianHamiltonSI) December 4, 2014

Kaminsky and Jackson kept Wisconsin close, but the Badgers simply couldn't get enough stops on the defensive end. Jones and Cook continued to create penetration with the dribble, and that in turn opened up space for Okafor to work against single teams on the block.

Of course, while Duke's offensive efficiency and versatility were undeniably impressive, Amile Jefferson's defense down the stretch shouldn't go unnoticed:

That's three straight defensive stops by Amile Jefferson, if you're scoring from home.

- Jim Young (@RealJimYoung) December 4, 2014

Wisconsin got as close as three with just over five minutes left, but Jones once again responded when it mattered most, getting in transition for a layup and knocking down a jumper to seal the victory.

The Badgers have little time to rest after this one, as they get set to take on intra-state rival Marquette on Saturday.

Duke has a longer turnaround. The Blue Devils host Elon in 12 days before an enticing matchup against Connecticut's dynamic backcourt on December 18.

Looking beyond that, Wednesday night provided very little evidence to suggest these teams aren't a strong bet to see each other again in April.

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