ATLANTA -- Thanks to a late turnover by Virginia Tech, Duke escaped with a narrow win Friday night, but the 60-56 win raised as many questions as it answered for the Blue Devils.

Namely, who knew Ryan Kelly was so important to Duke?

Sure, the 6-foot-10 forward from Raleigh can stretch defenses with his 3-point shooting ability, and he's averaging 11.8 points and 5.4 rebounds, but it turns out his mere presence in Duke’s forward rotation is absolutely and unquestionably essential. The rest of it is a bonus.

DURHAM – Duke forward Ryan Kelly sprained his right foot in practice on Tuesday and will miss the ACC tournament.

The junior will be monitored over the weekend and re-evaluated Monday.

Without Kelly, the Blue Devils will have to take care to avoid wearing the Plumlee brothers out, especially if they get to Sunday’s championship. Beyond Mason and Miles, Duke’s only other frontcourt options are Josh Hairston and Mike Gbinije.

DURHAM -- About five minutes after North Carolina put the finishing touches on its 88-70 win over Duke on Saturday night, the Blue Devils players made their way back onto the court at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Miles Plumlee addressed the remaining crowd, thanking the Duke students for their support during his career. He then said the Blue Devils would make amends for its disappointing performance against the Tar Heels by reaching the Final Four.

Such a promise required a bit of a leap of faith after Duke’s miserable effort in the first half against UNC. But if the fourth-ranked Blue Devils (26-5, 13-3) have shown nothing else this season, it’s that they have the ability to defy expectations in both directions.

N&O staff photojournalist Robert Willett shot this picture at the Duke-UNC game last night. Austin Rivers' shot is headed to the basket. Time has expired, the backboard has been illuminated. John Henson of UNC and Ryan Kelly of Duke are watching the trajectory of the ball. In a moment, the ball will fall through the hoop and Duke will win a stunning victory. In this frame, the outcome is still uncertain. All that these players and both nations know is that there is no time on the clock but the game is not over quite yet

The watchword at Duke on Monday was “consistency,” and no one -- not the players, not coach Mike Krzyzewski -- had an explanation why the Blue Devils have been so inconsistent this year. At least, they were consistent in that respect.

“I don’t know, but we have to figure it out,” Duke forward Mason Plumlee said, two days before Duke visits North Carolina in the first meeting between the teams.

DURHAM – During team meetings and off-the-court conversations, Duke basketball players have stressed improving defensively.

After watching a few opponents blow by them off the dribble or lose them on screens, the No. 8 Blue Devils (13-2, 1-0 ACC) say they’ve had enough. A solid defensive performance in their 81-74 conference-opener over Georgia Tech has bolstered the team’s confidence as they welcome No. 16 Virginia (14-1, 1-0) to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Thursday (ESPN, 9 p.m.).

Updated 4:52 p.m.

ATLANTA – The most public of the consequences from Duke’s dreary effort against Temple on Wednesday night fell on junior forward Ryan Kelly.

While the entire Blue Devils team shared in the loss, Kelly was one of two players to be benched for Duke’s ACC opener against Georgia Tech, replaced in the starting lineup by Miles Plumlee. The other lineup change – Quinn Cook for Tyler Thornton at point guard – had as much to do with Cook’s ascension as anything Thornton did or did not do.

So while it might be convenient to say Kelly used his sudden status as a reserve as the impetus for his career-high 21 points in fifth-ranked Duke’s 81-74 victory over the Yellow Jackets on Saturday, Kelly said his motivation came from within.

Duke junior forward Ryan Kelly has enjoyed bartering in the market and cruising down the Huang Pu River in the seemingly endless city of Shanghai, whose population numbers about 23 million.

On the Blue Devils’ exhibition trip to China, Kelly also has established himself as one of the most improved players on the team in wins over the Chinese Olympic team.

Kelly scored 14 points with 13 rebounds Wednesday in Kunshan and led Duke with 20 points and added eight rebounds Thursday in Shanghai.

WINSTON-SALEM - Kyle Singler said Duke teammate Ryan Kelly played nearly a perfect game.

The numbers from the fourth-ranked Blue Devils’ 83-59 defeat of Wake Forest on Saturday bear that out.

Although the inspired Deacons seriously challenged Duke into the second half at the Joel Coliseum, Kelly’s efficient performance helped put the Blue Devils over the top.

Kelly made all six of his field goal attempts – including four 3-pointers – to score 20 points, exceeding his career high by seven points. After going 4-for-4 from the field with 11 points and eight rebounds in a win Wednesday night at N.C. State, Kelly is the hottest player on Duke’s team.

CHARLOTTE - A year ago, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said, the Blue Devils' system was tailor made for starting post players Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek.

Duke's physical, half-court style fit Thomas and Zoubek, who were best known for defending and rebounding. When reserves Mason and Miles Plumlee came off the bench, though, they didn't quite fit in as well because their skills are more suited for an uptempo game.

At the ACC's operation basketball media day tipoff this afternoon, Krzyzewski said the Plumlees are better off in a fast-paced system like the one Duke will use this season now that 2009-10 seniors Thomas and Zoubek are gone. Krzyzewski plans to pressure in the full court or three-quarters court on defense after baskets, and play at a fast tempo on offense.

"The way we use our perimeter this year is really good for the Plumlees," Krzyzewski said.