Ryan Kelly should be done wearing ties to games soon, as he hopes to be back on the court in time for senior night. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

DURHAM—The biggest news of the day came after Duke had beaten Boston College by the score of 89-68. In the Duke locker room, Ryan Kelly met with the media for the first time since his Jan. 8 right foot injury. The game story goes into full detail, but here's the cliff notes version:

+Kelly is definitely coming back this year.
+He hasn't started practicing in drills and with contact yet, but he hopes to this week week.
+He has been practicing his lateral movements on the floor and shooting as well ("I can still shoot it if you’re wondering," he said).
+As far as a return date, Kelly said he would like to be back for senior night (March 5) against Virginia Tech. Since he hasn't practiced yet, he said "some amazing things would have to happen" for him to play this week against Virginia or Miami.

A few more notes:

Both Rasheed Sulaimon and Amile Jefferson set new career highs in scoring during Duke's win against Boston College. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

DURHAM—Signs of positive growth were in abundance during Duke’s 89-68 win over Boston College. Both of the Blue Devils’ freshmen set new career-highs for scoring. Mason Plumlee continued to bounce back from a tough last week and posted his 16th double-double of the year. But the most encouraging development happened after the game in the locker room, where Ryan Kelly met with the media for the first time since his Jan. 8 foot injury.

It’s no longer a question of if Kelly is coming back. That’s a given, and the only thing left to be determined is when.

“My foot is feeling good, and as this week progresses I think I can become more and more a part of practice,” he said. “Obviously I want to be ready for the (NCAA) Tournament, that’s the biggest thing, but it would certainly be very nice as well to get out there for my senior night.”

Duke hosts Virginia Tech on March 5 for senior night, a date just about a week away. Kelly has yet to go live in practice and still hasn’t done much running on the court, so “amazing things” would have to happen for him to play this week, he said.

Josh Hairston, coming off the best week of his career, is set to make his fifth start of the year. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

Duke vs. Boston College
When: 2:00 p.m.
Where: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham
TV/Radio: WRAL/WKIX-102.9 FM
And? After three conference losses last year, Cameron has been kind to this Duke sqaud

Projected starting lineups:

No. 6 Duke (23-3, 10-3 in the ACC)
G Quinn Cook, So., 12.1 ppg, 3.8 apg
G Seth Curry, Sr., 17.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg
G Rasheed Sulaimon, Fr., 11.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg
F Josh Hairston, Jr., 2.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg
F Mason Plumlee, Sr., 17.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg

Boston College (12-14, 4-9)
G Joe Rahon, Fr., 10.0 ppg, 3.6 apg
G Olivier Hanlon, Fr., 14.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg
G Lonnie Jackson, So., 9.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg
F Ryan Anderson, So., 15.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg
F Eddie Odio, So., 3.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg

Player to watch:

Josh Hairston, Duke

While his time in Durham was brief, Kyrie Irving did dazzle while he was on the court. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

Every Saturday, the News & Observer takes a look around the ACC. That also provides an opportunity to check in with the Blue Devils and look for any emerging trends.

Duke’s performance against Virginia Tech was impressive, no matter what superlative or comparison is used.

Biggest ACC win since a 32-point drubbing of UNC in 2010.
Biggest ACC road win since 2005 at Florida State.
Highest 3-point percentage (70.6 percent) of any Division I road team this year.

Head coach Mike Krzyzewski had another one after the game: The Blue Devils dominated the Hokies like Kyrie Irving dominated the New Orleans Hornets in the fourth quarter Wednesday.

Mason Plumlee responded with a strong performance against Virginia Tech after a tough last week. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

BLACKSBURG, Va.—The game story from Duke's win hits on the two main takeaways from the trip to Cassell Coliseum: Seth Curry answered the chants of "Who's your Daddy?" and Mason Plumlee rebounded from a tough last week. A few other thoughts from the Blue Devils' dominant effort and off-the-court happenings:

***RYAN KELLY UPDATE: If i had a dollar for every time I was asked about Ryan Kelly, I'd have a lot of dollars. For the first time in his recovery, there is actual, visual progress. His crutches are gone, and he is now walking with just his boot.

Seth Curry put on a scoring clinic in the first half. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

BLACKSBURG, Va.—Seth Curry hasn’t had an abundance of success playing against Virginia Tech, his father’s alma mater. Two years ago, when Curry fouled out after registering zero points in 15 minutes, the students chanted, “Who’s your Daddy?” as Dell Curry sat in the stands.

So before Duke’s Thursday night game in Blacksburg—Curry’s last game in the Hokies’ home arena—Mike Krzyzewski had a talk with his senior sharpshooter.

“It’s not about making up for anything,” Krzyzewski said to Curry. “Just play.”

And that’s what Curry did, as he let the game come to him. He dominated the floor just like his Daddy did as Duke rolled to a 88-56 win.

Seth Curry has one last chance to shine at his father's alma mater. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

Duke at Virginia Tech
When: 9:00 p.m.
Where: Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, Va..
TV/Radio: ESPN/WKIX-102.9 FM
Name to Know: Eric Green, the nation's leading scorer

Projected starting lineups:

No. 6 Duke (22-3, 9-3 in the ACC)

G Quinn Cook, So., 12.3 ppg, 5.8 apg
G Seth Curry, Sr., 16.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg
G Rasheed Sulaimon, Fr., 11.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg
F Josh Hairston, Jr., 2.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg
F Mason Plumlee, Sr., 17.6 ppg, 10.4 rpg

Virginia Tech (11-14, 2-10)

G Erick Green, Sr., 25.3 ppg, 4.1 apg
G Will Johnston, So., 1.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg
G Robert Brown, So., 8.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg
F C.J. Barksdale, So., 4.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg
F Cadarian Raines, Jr., 7.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg

Player to watch:

Mason Plumlee, Duke

Seth Curry, with his one good leg, has played a key role in Duke's success without Ryan Kelly. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

With three weeks (and six games) left in the ACC regular season, Duke stands at 22-3 and 9-3 in the ACC, good for second place.

How do the coaches feel about that? Pretty darn good.

Assistant coach Steve Wojciechowski said yesterday on his radio show that, internally, Duke is proud of what they've accomplished in the 42 days since Ryan Kelly's Jan. 8 right foot injury. Head coach Mike Krzyzewski also said roughly the same thing on the coaches' teleconference.

3:30 p.m. update

It was the summer of 1986 when Robert Brickey first met Phil Henderson, and the highly touted incoming freshmen were at a six-week precollege program at Duke.

Then they played pickup against David Henderson and Johnny Dawkins.

“That was an eye-opener,” Brickey said.

Over the next four years, Brickey and Henderson went to three Final Fours and laid the foundation for Duke to become the powerhouse program it is today.

Brickey, along with the rest of the Duke basketball family, was shocked to learn that Henderson died Sunday in the Philippines of cardiac arrest. He was 44.

Henderson is survived by five children—Genesis (21), Harrison (15), Adonia (6), Athalia (5), and Azriel (4).

“Please tell me you’ve got the name wrong, or you went to the wrong apartment, tell me you made a mistake,” Brickey said of his reaction to the news. “It’s tough. It’s tough for everybody.

“He was just a fun-loving guy. Loved life. Loved basketball.”

Josh Hairston played his best game of the season despite tearing a ligament in his riht thumb Saturday. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

College Park, Md.—In the coming days, there will be plenty of time to digest exactly what went wrong for Duke at Maryland. But for now, here are a few thoughts that didn't make the game story from the 83-81 loss:

***Maryland fans have long had a reputation for being less-than-hospitable to opponents. There was, for example, a two-word, expletive-laced cheer ending in “You” aimed at Mason Plumlee by one of the student sections.

But the Terrapins’ fans make more than just the students uncomfortable. After the game, Mark Turgeon said his family left the arena last week at the Virginia game because the cheers were too painful to hear.