A lot has changed since the Blue Devils and Spartans first clashed in Indianapolis in November, and this time, a spot to the championship will be on the line.
Top-seeded Duke will face seventh-seeded Michigan State in the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium Saturday at 6:09 p.m. to decide who will advance to the NCAA title game. The Blue Devils defeated the Spartans 81-71 Nov. 18 behind a 19-point performance from senior guard Quinn Cook and a 17-point second-half outburst from freshman Tyus Jones.
“We played them so early, we’re a different team and they’re a different team,” Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said Tuesday. “It can have a negative impact if our guys remember them for who they were then. We should also show them who they were—because we’re a lot better.... You’ve got to stay current. It’s kind of like stats. The most relevant stats are the last four games.”
If that is the case, then Michigan State (27-11) may have a difficult time putting the ball in the basket against Duke (33-4). Heading into Saturday’s matchup, the Blue Devils are ranked 18th in basketball statistician Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted defense efficiency ranking with a mark of 93.3—Michigan State ranks 46th. This represents a drastic improvement for Krzyzewski’s squad, which came into the tournament ranked outside the top 50.
To put this in perspective, Duke has held all four teams it has faced in the tournament to 57 points or fewer—a feat the Blue Devils managed just five times in ACC play.
“If you throw out a couple really bad games, then we’re a pretty good defensive team—before the NCAA, or else we wouldn’t have won those game,” Krzyzewski said. “You have to play pretty good defense in order to win. With a young group, the more comfortable you get with physical defensive habits. individually and collectively, the better you’re going to be.”
Part of this notable jump has come thanks to the improved defensive play of Cook, who has held his previous two defensive assignments—WCC Player of the Year Kevin Pangos and first-team All-Pac-12 guard Delon Wright—to 28.6 percent shooting from the field.
Cook credits the improvement in his defense—which has been on display throughout the season—to his pre-game preparation and film study.
“My mentality, my preparation [changed for the better],” Cook said. “I studied the guys that I’m playing way more than I ever have.... That’s just me getting mature and being mature and taking pride. I’ve always taken pride in outscoring the guy I’m matched up with. I’ve never taken pride in trying to shut somebody down. It’s just a pride thing that I learned to like.”
Another dramatic change for the Blue Devils came as a result of a lineup shuffle made by Krzyzewski in mid-Feburary, when freshman center Jahlil Okafor was out with a sprained ankle.
With the big man out of the paint, Krzyzewski made the move to go small and inserted Matt Jones into the starting lineup and slid freshman Justise Winslow to the power forward slot—a move that has remained permanent since Duke’s Feb. 21 win against Clemson.
When Okafor returned, junior Amile Jefferson moved to the bench and Winslow remained at the four. This allowed the Houston native to stretch the floor for the Blue Devils—opening space inside for Okafor—and has paid major dividends in the NCAA tournament.
“It’s March. It’s now or never. I’m very confident within myself,” Winslow told GoDuke.com. “Mentally, I’m preparing better than ever. I’m really just focused and locked in and really excited to play.... As a team we realize this is our chance to do something special and be something special.”
Through the first four games of the tournament, Winslow is averaging 14.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and is shooting 58.3 percent from long range—including a dagger with 2:52 remaining against Gonzaga to secure the Blue Devils a spot in Indianapolis.
“[Justise’s versatility] does a lot for us with him playing the four a lot recently,” Tyus Jones said. “It’s a mismatch on the offensive end. We’re able to spread the floor a little more surrounding Jah.”
The move has done wonders for the Blue Devils—they have lost just once since their rout of the Tigers—but has resulted in a drop in numbers for Okafor. In the 10 games since Winslow took over the four spot, Okafor is averaging 16.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest—a slight dip from his overall season averages of 17.5 and 8.7.
Despite the statistical dip, Okafor exploded in the first two rounds of the tournament, scoring 21 points against Robert Morris and 26 against San Diego State. Then, for the first time all season, Okafor failed to score double-digits in consecutive games, putting up just 15 combined points against Utah and Gonzaga.
But if history is bound to repeat itself, then Saturday’s game should put the Chicago native back on track.
Although the Spartans are a different team than in November, the matchup down low will be the same, as 6-foot-9 forward Matt Costello will bump heads with Okafor. In the Nov. 18 meeting, Okafor owned the paint, going for 17 points and five rebounds on 8-of-10 shooting.
Even with the successful experience under his belt, Okafor—along with the rest of the players—was quick to point out that a lot has changed since November.
“We got better when we played Michigan State, and they did too even though they lost. But they’re a different team and so are we,” Okafor said. “That was just a game that was part of our journey and that’s going to be a good team we’re playing this Saturday and we’re looking forward to it.”
The winner of Saturday’s contest will take on the winner of the second semifinal between No. 1 seeds Kentucky and Wisconsin in the national championship game Monday at 9 p.m.
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