bstrickland@heraldsun.com; 419-6671
DURHAM -- Exam week affords college basketball players the opportunity to get their academic affairs in order and to recharge their basketball batteries.
It didn't quite work out that way for the Duke Blue Devils.
Duke's players did get some physical rest thanks to a four-day stretch with no full-team practices, but their return to practice Sunday to prepare for tonight's game against Gardner-Webb (7 p.m., ESPN2) produced a pair of injuries.
Kyle Singler, a preseason first-team All-American, is questionable for tonight's game with a right ankle sprain suffered in a scrimmage Sunday. Senior post player Brian Zoubek suffered a fall in the same practice that resulted in an injury to his back and hip but is expected to play.
In addition, junior guard Nolan Smith continues to be somewhat slowed by a left knee injury suffered in Duke's lone loss this season, a 73-69 setback at Wisconsin on Dec. 2.
Smith also is expected to play tonight, as is freshman Andre Dawkins, who returned to school Saturday after spending a week with his family in Virginia in the wake of his sister's death in an automobile accident on Dec. 5.
Singler, who ranks a tenth of a point behind Smith in scoring with a 17.1-points per game, was the only Duke player to sit out Monday's practice. Singler, a junior, has played in all 79 games since his arrival on campus.
If there's any good news, it's that the No. 7 Blue Devils (7-1) probably can err on the side of caution with Gardner-Webb visiting Cameron Indoor Stadium.
The Bulldogs (3-4), playing Duke for the first time, have dropped four consecutive games, including a 29-point loss to Charlotte on Saturday. Duke beat Charlotte by 42 points on Nov. 17.
Duke also will be careful because the Blue Devils' other game before the holiday break is against No. 15 Gonzaga on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
The Blue Devils never have lost their first game after the exam break under Coach Mike Krzyzewski, winning all 29. Duke also has a 73-game winning streak in non-conference games at Cameron dating to a loss to St. John's in 2000.
Duke's most recent game was 10 days ago, also against St. John's, an 80-71 victory over the previously unbeaten Red Storm.
The Blue Devils should be able to shake off any rust tonight, but now they have to hope they can shake off their suddenly long list of injuries, as well.
NOTES -- Another unavailable Duke player, redshirt guard Seth Curry, was a member of the USA Men's U19 World Championship team that was honored Monday as the 2009 USA Basketball Team of the Year. All 12 players on the team averaged between 4.4 and 10.8 points per game -- Curry averaged 9.0 -- while going 9-0 over the summer to end an 18-year gold medal drought for the U19 program. ... Duke Athletics will be collecting new, unwrapped toys to benefit the Durham Rescue Mission at tonight's game as well as at the women's game Friday at 7 p.m. against James Madison.
