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DURHAM — When the new polls come out today, don't be surprised to see a familiar team at No. 1.

Nolan Smith scored 28 points, Kyle Singler had 15 and No. 5 Duke overcame a slow start and clobbered Georgia Tech 79-57 at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Sunday night.

Meanwhile, all four teams ahead of Duke in the polls lost games this week.

But what does No. 1 mean?

"It's a tough question," Singler said. "Would we like to be No. 1? Yeah. Who wouldn't want that? But it really doesn't matter. Not now."

Duke started the season No. 1, with freshman Kyrie Irving looking like the best point guard in the nation. But Irving has missed the last 19 games with a toe injury and still wears a protective boot as he watches from the bench.

"After Kyrie got hurt, we were just No. 1 for a long time because we didn't lose," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "That's just the nature of the polls. I never felt like we were the No. 1 team in the country after that. I did when he was with us.

"I think we're a good team, and we just need to keep winning."

Another freshman point guard could help.

Tyler Thornton scored just six points against Georgia Tech, but his shut-down defense in 24 minutes off the bench was remarkable.

Thornton shadowed 6-foot-5 Iman Shumpert, the fourth-leading scorer in the ACC, and helped hold the big point guard to 13 points on 4-for-16 shooting.

Thornton is a guy who likely wouldn't play at all if not for the injury to Irving.

"Thornton was a huge plus for us," Krzyzewski said. "He gave us just a huge, huge boost."

Two plays stood out.

First, Thornton tried to draw a charge against Shumpert. The call — right in front of the Duke bench -- went against Thornton, and Krzyzewski drew a technical foul for arguing it.

Krzyzewski down played it.

"It happens," he said. "No sense in talking about it. It just happens. Obviously, when that happens, you're not going to agree with it. But it doesn't make a darn bit of difference. You just go on to the next thing."

But it did make a difference. It was the ninth foul of the half on the Blue Devils. They went the next 12:25 without another whistle.

"Coach doesn't get very many technicals," Singler said. "so when he gets one, usually it does spark up the team a little bit."

Duke trailed 18-13 after the technical. The Devils led 44-30 by the time Mason Plumlee was whistled for a foul in the second half.

"We were fouling too much," Krzyzewski said. "Then we started playing just very disciplined defense."

Thornton's second signature play was a driving runner in the lane that pushed Duke's lead to nine points in the final seconds before halftime.

"Tyler made that play on his own," Krzyzewski said. "And his defense of Shumpert was very good. That kept Nolan out of foul trouble. We always had that alternative. We just executed really well in the last few minutes of the first half."

So now the team that started the year No. 1 with a freshman point guard playing a key role looks like it will be No. 1 again. And, again, a freshman point guard plays a key role.

Contact Jeff Mills at 373-7024 or jeff.mills@news-record.com

GEORGIA TECH (11-15, 3-9)
D. Miller 3-4 0-2 6, Shumpert 4-16 5-5 13, M. Miller 5-8 2-2 13, Storrs 2-5 0-0 4, Rice Jr. 4-14 2-3 12, Udofia 0-3 4-4 4, Foreman 0-0 0-0 0, Morris 1-6 0-0 2, Holsey 0-0 1-4 1, Hicks 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 20-60 14-20 57.

DUKE (25-2, 12-1)
Ma. Plumlee 4-7 1-2 9, Singler 5-14 5-6 15, Kelly 4-7 2-2 10, Smith 10-20 4-4 28, Curry 3-6 1-2 9, Thornton 1-2 4-4 6, Hairston 0-1 0-0 0, Dawkins 0-2 0-0 0, Mi. Plumlee 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 28-62 17-20 79.

Georgia Tech 28 29—57
Duke 37 42—79

Percentages—Georgia Tech (FG .333, FT .700), Duke (FG .452, FT .850).

3-point goals—Georgia Tech 3-15 (Rice Jr. 2-6, M. Miller 1-2, Storrs 0-1, Morris 0-1, Udofia 0-1, Shumpert 0-4), Duke 6-16 (Smith 4-7, Curry 2-4, Thornton 0-1, Dawkins 0-1, Singler 0-1, Kelly 0-2).

Fouled out—Ma. Plumlee.

Rebounds—Georgia Tech 37 (Shumpert 6), Duke 41 (Ma. Plumlee, Singler 9).

Team rebounds—Georgia Tech 2, Duke 3.

Assists—Georgia Tech 10 (M. Miller 5), Duke 18 (Curry 6).

Blocked shots—Georgia Tech 7 (D. Miller 5), Duke 2 (Ma. Plumlee, Kelly).

Turnovers—Georgia Tech 15 (Morris 4), Duke 10 (Smith 3, Singler 3).

Steals—Georgia Tech 7 (Rice Jr. 2, M. Miller 2), Duke 9 (Singler 2, Curry 2, Thornton 2, Kelly 2).

Total fouls—Georgia Tech 20, Duke 17.

Technical—Duke bench.

A—9,314.

Officials—Karl Hess, Bryan Kersey, John Cahill.