Fortunately for them, it's having sophomore center Brian Zoubek play productive minutes -- the sort of problem that a talented-but-undersized Duke team has been waiting to have all season.

The Blue Devils open ACC Tournament play at 7 tonight at Bobcats Arena in Charlotte against No. 7 Georgia Tech, a 94-76 winner over No. 10 Virginia on Thursday.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski likened Zoubek's influence on his team at this moment to throwing a rock into a body of water and seeing the resulting ripples.

"He's playing very well right now, better than he has at any time he has been at Duke, but not as well as he will with some continuity," Krzyzewski said.

Since missing nine games because of a fractured toe in his left foot, Zoubek played his most important minutes of the season in a loss to North Carolina on Saturday, scoring six points, grabbing three rebounds, blocking a shot and changing several others in just nine minutes of play.

Duke features quick guards, and starting forwards Kyle Singler and Lance Thomas are cut from the same lanky cloth at 6 feet 8 and 220 pounds. Zoubek (7-1, 260) is the lone Blue Devil with size and bulk.

Krzyzewski and his staff are trying to figure out the best ways to use Zoubek to the best advantage.

"We have no reference point," Krzyzewski said. "We've won [26] games not using [Zoubek]. But we're not going to win many more if we don't [use him]. We're a little different team right now, which is fine because we can be a better team."

Krzyzewski said it could mean that Singler, the ACC's rookie of the year, doesn't have to guard the largest player on the opposing team for an entire game. That could mean more outside shot opportunities for Singler on offense.

Singler plays an average of 29 minutes per game while defending the likes of Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair, Maryland's Bambale Osby, N.C. State's J.J. Hickson and North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough. He was giving up at least 20 pounds in each case.

"I would love to see his minutes go down a little so he could be a little fresher," Krzyzewski said of Singler.

Krzyzewski said the coaching staff also has to prepare Thomas for different assignments.

Thomas also has guarded his share of big bodies this season. When Zoubek enters the game, Thomas must adjust to facing quicker forwards.

"I don't know all the answers right now, but it's a good evolution for our team," Krzyzewski said.

Krzyzewski is satisfied that the Blue Devils are fresher and healthier than last year's team at this stage of the season, but he knows Duke won't become a power inside team over the next three weeks.

So the Duke guards know they must continue to help their frontcourt teammates.

"We have to put [our big men] in good positions on the floor," junior guard Greg Paulus said. "Since we're smaller, we have to put [on] better ball pressure so they're not getting posted up so easy, and we can't get beat off the dribble so they're not having to take charges or make [defensive] plays all the time."

NO. 2 DUKE (26-4) VS. NO. 7 GA. TECH (15-16)

WATCH FOR THIS

Duke guard Gerald Henderson finally gets his feet wet in ACC Tournament play. Henderson sat on the bench during Duke's loss to N.C. State in its 2007 tournament opener because he was serving a suspension for a flagrant, combative foul he committed on Tyler Hansbrough in a loss to North Carolina days earlier.

Henderson is playing some of the best basketball of his college career. He'll likely still be wearing a brace on his shooting wrist, but when he knocks down mid-range jumpers or flies at the hoop on backdoor cuts, Duke is a better team.

DUKE'S STARTERS

Kyle Singler 6-8220F

freshman, 14.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg

Lance Thomas 6-8220F

sophomore, 4.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg

DeMarcus Nelson 6-4200 G

senior, 15.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg

Gerald Henderson 6-4210 G

sophomore, 12.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg

Greg Paulus6-1185 G

junior, 11.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.4 apg

GA. TECH'S STARTERS

Gani Lawal6-8216 C

freshman, 7.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg

Jeremis Smith 6-8236 F

senior, 10.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg

D'Andre Bell 6-5210 G-F

junior, 6.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg

Anthony Morrow 6-5210G

senior, 14.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg

Maurice Miller6-1181 G

freshman, 7.6 ppg, 3.2 apg

REGULAR-SEASON RECAP

Duke beat Georgia Tech 71-58 in Durham in their only meeting on Feb. 27.

Duke is 5-3 against the Yellow Jackets in ACC Tournament play. The last time they met, Duke beat Georgia Tech to win the 2005 ACC title, a year after both schools had gone to the Final Four. Duke is playing for NCAA Tournament seeding and locale. Georgia Tech has to win three games in order to qualify for any tournament.