Associated Press

Duke's Kyle Singler (12) shoots over Radford's Blake Smith on Saturday. Singler scores 13 points in the win, Duke's NCAA record 72nd straight nonconference win at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

DURHAM, N.C. -- Of the college basketball teams who might be susceptible to a zone defense, Duke's not usually among them.

Radford, making a first trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday, was forced into the zone because of a shortage of big men. In response, the Blue Devils shot 56.3 percent from 3-point range to score more than half their points from distance while dismissing the Highlanders 104-67 before 9,314 fans.

Behind the combined 14-for-22 3-point shooting of Nolan Smith, John Scheyer, and freshman Andre Dawkins, Duke dumped in 18 triples, two off the ACC record. It was a new Blue Devils standard.

"When they play like that, they're one of the best teams in the county and when they shoot like that, they can beat anybody," Radford coach Brad Greenberg said.

With nine players available and only seniors Art Parakhouski and Joey Lynch-Flohr serving as experienced big men, the Highlanders lived and eventually perished with the zone.

"We really had two inside players so we tried to protect them," Greenberg said. "It didn't work very well. They got a lot of good open shots and even the ones that were contested, they knocked down."

Radford point guard Jeremy Robinson, a junior college transfer, was impressed.

"I don't think I've seen a team shoot 3-point shots like that," he said. "It was like an NBA team out there."

Also suggesting competition in a higher league was the play of Parakhouski. The 6-foot-11 center from Belarus made eight of 19 shots on the way to game highs of 23 points and 14 rebounds.

"Everyone who isn't in our locker room who doesn't know Art Parakhouski, he showed he can play with any frontcourt in the country," said teammate Phillip Martin, who finished with 12 points. "I still think and believe he was the best big man out on the court."

Even so, Parakhouski couldn't hide his disappointment at what happened to his team, especially from the perimeter.

"We gave up so many shots from the 3-point line, it cost us the game," he said. "We didn't switch defenses. We played the whole game in the 2-3 and 1-3-1 zone. I think it was a bad mistake. It was a physical game at both ends. The was no reason we shouldn't just try some man-to-man."

No matter the defense, Parakhouski had the attention of Mike Krzyzewski.

"He will be a first-round pick, easy, in the NBA," Krzyzewski said. "He would play for anybody in our league."

Duke's sharpshooters were in a league of their own. Dawkins went 6-for-8 and Smith and Scheyer went 4-for-7 each to combine for 58 points, 20 each for Smith and Dawkins. Kyle Singler had a so-so afternoon of marksmanship (4-for-13) but converted 3 of 8 from long range and finished with 13 points and seven rebounds.

Two more of Duke's prize freshmen, Miles Plumlee and Ryan Kelly, both 6-10, also had big games. Plumlee had 12 points and 11 rebounds as the Devils out rebounded Radford 45-38.

Kelly had nine points and five rebounds and drilled a triple.

"I probably had six different guys guarding me," Parakhouski said. "It was physical and tough. ... I haven't seen this kind of competition since North Carolina in the tournament last year. That's why I was struggling with my shots."

Yet another freshman Radford wing Blake Smith distinguished himself too. Making his third start, he had 11 points, six rebounds, two assists and two turnovers.

Perhaps the most impressive part of Duke's game aside from the shooting was the team play. The Devils had 35 field goals on 25 assists, seven each from Singler, Smith, and Scheyer.

"That was one of the reasons we played so well," Krzyzewski said.

RADFORD (2-1)

Martin 5-7 2-2 12, Lynch-Flohr 3-13 2-2 8, Parakhouski 8-19 7-12 23, Johnson 1-10 1-2 4, Smith 4-9 0-0 11, Robinson 3-5 0-0 6, Faulkner 1-4 0-0 3, Wilder 0-0 0-0 0, Curry 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-67 12-18 67.

DUKE (4-0)

Singler 4-13 2-2 13, Mi.Plumlee 5-8 2-2 12, Thomas 2-4 0-0 4, Smith 6-12 4-4 20, Scheyer 5-9 4-4 18, Czyz 1-3 0-0 2, Dawkins 7-9 0-0 20, Kelly 4-8 0-0 9, Davidson 0-1 2-2 2, Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Peters 0-0 0-0 0, Zoubek 1-4 2-3 4. Totals 35-72 16-17 104.

Halftime--Duke 59-34. 3-Point Goals--Radford 5-14 (Smith 3-5, Johnson 1-3, Faulkner 1-4, Martin 0-2), Duke 18-32 (Dawkins 6-8, Scheyer 4-7, Smith 4-7, Singler 3-8, Kelly 1-1, Czyz 0-1). Fouled Out--Zoubek. Rebounds--Radford 38 (Parakhouski 14), Duke 45 (Mi.Plumlee 11). Assists--Radford 11 (Johnson 4), Duke 25 (Scheyer, Singler, Smith 7). Total Fouls--Radford 17, Duke 17. A--9,314.