Notes: Duke 86, Columbia 43

With its 86-43 victory over Columbia, Duke has now won seven straight season openers, improves to 25-2 under Coach Mike Krzyzewski and 78-24 all-time. In home season openers, Duke has now won 25 straight and is 26-1 under Coach K.
Duke improves to 2-1 against Columbia, and 2-0 under Coach K. Against current members of the Ivy League, Duke is now 45-9 all-time, including 21-2 under Coach K and has won 19 straight since a 72-55 loss to Princeton on Dec. 12, 1981.
Tonight marked the second-earliest season opener in Duke history. The 1999-2000 team opened the season on Nov. 11 with an 80-79 loss to No. 13 Stanford in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in New York City. In fact, this is just the third game in Duke history on or before Nov. 12 as the Blue Devils also fell to No. 1 UConn in that tournament by a score of 71-66.
Duke is now 50-17 in mid-season tournaments under Coach K, including five straight after winning the 2005 NIT Season Tip-Off.
Duke shot 16-of-22 (.727) from the floor in the first half, marking the 10th highest first-half total in Duke history. It is the highest first-half shooting percentage since the Blue Devils shot 20-of-26 (.769) at N.C. State on Jan. 20, 1994, and is the highest first-half shooting percentage for Duke at Cameron since going 20-of-27 (.741) against The Citadel on Nov. 26, 1988. Additionally, it marks the sixth-highest first-half shooting percentage in the Coach K era and the second highest at home under Coach K.
Duke's starting line-up of one junior, two sophomores and two freshmen marks just the second time under Coach K that Duke has started four underclassmen on opening night. In 1983-84, Duke started three sophomores, including associate coach Johnny Dawkins and one freshman. It also marks the sixth time Duke has started two freshmen on opening night and fourth time under Coach K (1976-77, 1977-78, 1982-83, 1997-98 and 2003-04 were the other such seasons).
The last time Duke had four underclassmen in the starting line-up, not just season openers, was on Jan. 31, 2004, against N.C. State, some 88 games ago. Duke did have two freshmen in the starting line-up for the final five games of last season.
Duke has now won 41 straight non-conference home games, the second-longest streak in Duke history and third longest active streak in the country. Oklahoma extended its streak to 47 games after winning in former Blue Devil Jeff Capel's first game as the Sooner head coach Saturday while Illinois has a streak of 46 straight and opens play Monday.
Duke recorded 11 blocks and 11 steals against Columbia, marking the first time since Jan. 28, 2006, against Virginia, that the Blue Devils recorded double figures in both categories. In 2005-06, the Blue Devils accomplished that feat twice.
Duke's freshman class combined for 46 points against Columbia, marking the second-highest total for a freshman class in their first collegiate game in Duke history. The quartet tied the 1982-83 class and the 2002-03 class is the only class that scored more, combining for 58 points against Army on Nov. 23, 2002.
Sophomore Josh McRoberts enjoyed a perfect shooting night, hitting both of his field goals and 4-of-4 from the free throw line. He also led Duke with seven rebounds and three blocked shots.
Sophomore Greg Paulus saw his first action after missing both exhibition games and responded with seven assists against just one turnover in 19 minutes of action.
Freshman Jon Scheyer hit 4-of-6 from behind the arc in his first collegiate game, marking the highest total in Duke history for a freshman in his first game.
Freshman Brian Zoubek's 18 points is the fourth-highest total for a freshman in his first game in Duke history. Shavlik Randolph's 23 points against Army on Nov. 23, 2002, is the school record. Zoubek's 10 free throws is the most by a freshman in his first game in Duke history.
Sophomore DeMarcus Nelson scored 11 points and had three rebounds, three steals and three blocks. It is his 16th career game in double figures and Duke is 14-2 in such games.
Scheyer, Zoubek and freshman Lance Thomas all scored in double figures in their first collegiate game. The only other time in school history three freshman scored in double figures in their first game was in 1982-83 when Mark Alarie (16), Dawkins (14) and David Henderson (11) did so against East Carolina on Nov. 27, 1982.
With the win, Duke's record improves to ...

1,797-811 all-time, the fourth most wins in the NCAA
212-35 this decade, the best record in the country and 21 more victories than second place Gonzaga (191 as of Nov. 12)
690-142 all-time at Cameron Indoor Stadium
18-6 as the No. 12 ranked team in the AP poll and 858-216 overall as a ranked team
528-86 vs. unranked teams under Coach K, including 215-16 since 1997-98
109-6 vs. unranked, non-conference teams since 1997-98
103-2 at home against unranked teams since 1997-98
374-59 vs. non-conference opponents under Coach K, including 187-8 at home

With the win, Coach K now has 754 career victories, 11th most all-time and five behind 10th place Ed Diddle. At Duke, Coach K has 681 victories, seventh most all-time (Don Haskins, UTEP, 719).