As expected, the No. 1-ranked Duke Blue Devils took down Wake Forest in dominant fashion -- an 87-65 rout on the road. And though this has been the norm for this Duke team this season, what Zion Williamson posted on the stat sheet was historic.
The Demon Deacons were no match for Williamson, as he posted 30 points -- a career high -- on 13-of-16 shooting from the field. But that wasn't it. Williamson had a double-double with 10 rebounds, and he tallied five assists, four steals, and one block on the night.
This performance, according to ESPN Stats & Info, made Williamson the only DI player to post a 30-10-5-4 line with 80 percent shooting from the field in the past 20 years. Sixers PG Ben Simmons posted the same line back when he was a freshman at LSU, but he didn't shoot 80 percent or better from the field.
Williamson also showed all facets of his electrifying game, especially the deep ball. He went 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, which has been an area of his game that many criticize.
"Coach is always telling me to shoot the ball, but if it's not falling, then I'm not going to," Williamson told ESPN's David M. Hale after the game. "But after I shot that one over the rim, they were like, 'Z, shoot another one,' and I got it right back and made it. I think my confidence from 3 is getting a lot better."
🚨 Career High Alert for Zion 🚨
- ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) January 9, 2019
Williamson drops a 3⃣0⃣ piece!#HereComesDuke (@DukeMBB, @ZionW32) pic.twitter.com/J7xuE5QGST
It would be scary to see Williamson develop a consistent three-ball considering everything else in his arsenal. But when it comes to categorizing him as a player, many look at him as just a "dunker" -- a player with extreme athleticism that looks to shake the rim at all times.
Williamson doesn't want that stigma, and tonight's performance showed exactly why.
"I kind of hate being classified as a dunker," Williamson told ESPN's David M. Hale after the game. "Coach [Mike Krzyzewski] wouldn't have recruited me if I was just a dunker. But I guess people on the outside don't understand that. I can't play to impress other people. I'm playing to get better for myself and my teammates and hopefully make a run for a national championship."