DURHAM, N.C., Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Jason Williams led all five starters into double figures with 23 points Saturday and top-ranked Duke used a 16-0 run late in the game to pull away for a 103-80 victory over 13th-ranked Wake Forest.
After its 22-game winning streak was snapped in a 77-76 loss to Florida State on Jan. 6, Duke has rebuilt its reputation as the nation's top team.
In a span of less than 48 hours, the Blue Devils (16-1, 5-1 ACC) easily handled a pair of ranked teams. Duke routed No. 3 Maryland, 99-78, on Thursday night for its most lopsided win ever against a top-five team and continued its onslaught against the Demon Deacons (13-5, 3-2).
"Wake is really good," Duke coach Mike Kyzyzewski said. "Wake is an experienced team, a confident team and they can hit you and score from all different positions. We had to really do some tough things at the end to win."
The Blue Devils have won four straight since the loss at Florida State. Kyzyzewski pointed to improved defense.
"We can usually score points," he said. "But now we're playing it on both ends and it's paid off. The last four games, the last two weeks, these kids have worked so hard and have played so well."
Wake Forest traded baskets with the Blue Devils for most of a fast-paced first half, but Duke took control with one of its typical spurts, outscoring the Demon Deacons, 17-7, over the final four minutes to build a double-figure advantage at the intermission.
Duke opened a 61-49 lead on Mike Dunleavy's three-pointer from the top of the key at the buzzer.
Dahntay Jones scored 18 of his 22 in the first half for the Blue Devils, while Carlos Boozer collected 20 points and a career-high 18 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season.
Wake Forest's problems began when Darius Songaila picked up his third foul and went to the bench with the contest tied, 33-33, with just over eight minutes left in the half.
The Blue Devils went cold early in the second half and Songaila dominated inside, scoring 10 points before returning to the bench with his fourth foul. He finished with 16.
Songaila's turnaround jumper pulled Wake Forest within 76-73 with 10:41 left, but Williams completed a three-point play on Duke's next possesion to ignite the Blue Devils' 16-0 burst.
"Our players just really gutted it out those last 10 minutes," Kyzyzewski said. "I thought our execution in those last eight minutes was sensational."
Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser had no choice but to put Songaila back in following layups by Boozer and Chris Duhon just over a minute later. But Songaila's return could not slow Duke's momentum.
"We were down 76-73 and it was like an incendiary device, that 16-0 run at a point in the game when you aren't going to recover from it," Prosser said.
