DURHAM, N.C. ? The offensive efficiency may not be there just yet for Duke, but the defense is coming along just fine.

Dahntay Jones scored 22 points and J.J. Redick had 20 as the third-ranked Blue Devils used their defense to overcome poor shooting and beat Fairfield 86-58 Thursday afternoon.

Freshman Shelden Williams had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Duke, which improved to 8-0 for the 11th time in 23 seasons under coach Mike Krzyzewski. The Blue Devils also won their 17th straight home game and ran their nonconference record at Cameron Indoor Stadium under Krzyzewski to 163-8.

The Blue Devils are poised to rise to the top of The Associated Press rankings on Monday after losses by No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Pittsburgh this week. They open Atlantic Coast Conference play Sunday night at Clemson (9-0).

“I like it. We always want to be No. 1,” said Redick, who was 7-of-13 from the field. “We’re Duke and we have the No. 1 program in the country, and we want to stay No. 1.”

Duke held a double-digit lead for most of the game but shot just 39 percent and was slow to put away the Stags (5-5).

No. 5 Connecticut 95, St. Bonaventure 78

Hartford, Conn. — Ben Gordon scored 25 points, Emeka Okafor added 18 and Connecticut (9-0) remained unbeaten. The win at the Hartford Civic Center avenged last year’s 18-point loss to the Bonnies (5-7), one of only two home losses for the Huskies. Marques Green led St. Bonaventure with 18 points and 12 assists.

Duke's Shelden Williams dunks while teammate Daniel Ewing, right, watches. Duke defeated Fairfield, 86-58, on Thursday at Durham, N.C.

No. 8 Mississippi St. 68, UAB 52

Birmingham, Ala. — Mario Austin scored 13 points and Michal Ignerski added 12 for the Bulldogs (10-1). Winsome Frazier had 10 points for Mississippi State and led a defensive effort that held UAB’s leading scorer, Morris Finley, to just two points in the first half. Finley, who entered the game averaging 18.5 points, finished with 15 for the Blazers (8-3).

No. 20 Kentucky 94, Alcorn State 63

Lexington, Ky. — Chuck Hayes scored 15 points and Kentucky (8-3) forced a season-high 28 turnovers against Alcorn State (2-10). Erik Daniels had 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists for the Wildcats.