Second-seeded Duke got out to a strong start in the ACC tournament, downing No. 10 seed Notre Dame 88-70 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Blue Zone gives three key takeaways and stats and looks forward for the Blue Devils:
Three key takeaways
1. Bagley is back and healthy
After missing four games in February due to a mild knee sprain, Marvin Bagley III is officially ready to dominate once again. In Thursday’s victory against Notre Dame, the freshman big man was outstanding, dropping 33 points and grabbing 17 boards.
The Phoenix native built upon his 18-point second half he put up Saturday against North Carolina. With fellow freshman big man Wendell Carter Jr. stuck on the bench with foul trouble for much of the game, he established himself as the Blue Devils’ primary option in the paint.
Bagley looked especially solid with his ability to create space for himself, knocking down a pair of triples to draw the defense out to the 3-point line.
2. Allen can play with Bagley on the court
Senior captain Grayson Allen ended any debate that he and Bagley cannot co-exist on the court with his performance against the Irish. Allen had one of his most efficient outings of the season Thursday, converting on 7-of-10 attempts from the field while draining his first five attempts from the perimeter, good for 23 points.
Despite taking over ball-handling duties from Duval during Bagley’s absence, Allen found himself as much more of a catch-and-shoot player in this contest with Duval bringing the ball up the court. The Jacksonville, Fla., native’s single assist and three rebounds were tied for his lowest totals since Bagley’s absence began on Feb. 11th.
3. Bolden is here to stay
After struggling to find a role last season, sophomore Marques Bolden seems to have found a role off the bench since returning from a seven-game absence on Jan. 29th. The Desoto, TX., native has been incredibly efficient, converting on 77.4 percent of his attempts from the floor over his last ten games.
Bolden stepped up Thursday, playing 19 minutes with Carter Jr. tangled up in foul trouble throughout the contest. Bolden complemented Bagley’s performance down low, racking up eight points while grabbing seven boards.
Three key stats:
1. Grayson Allen 5-for-6 from 3-point range
Allen got out hot from the start, draining his first five 3-pointers in the contest, including a heat-check from almost 30 feet which gave Duke an early double-digit lead. Allen had struggled with his efficiency from downtown throughout conference play—Thursday’s performance was an encouraging sign going forward for the Blue Devils.
2. 17 minutes for Wendell Carter
Carter logged just 17 minutes against the Irish after falling into foul trouble with some instances of ill-advised contact in the early going. While Carter will need to regain his discipline heading into the rest of the tournament, Marques Bolden’s play in his absence gives confidence that Duke can survive without its best interior defender. He is also questionable for Friday's game with a foot injury that kept him out of practice all week.
3. Trevon Duval's 11 assists and 6 turnovers
Duval was a catalyst for the Blue Devil offense after being reinserted into the starting lineup. Duval recorded his fourth double-digit assist game of the season, but his great passing was not only leading to points on the Blue Devils' end of the floor. The New Castle, Del., native once again struggled to maintain possession, turning the ball over six times and allowing Notre Dame to get out in transition.
Looking forward
Coming off a dominant victory against the Fighting Irish, the Blue Devils will need to keep Bagley and Allen hot heading into a matchup against sixth-seeded North Carolina Friday night at 9. After a breakout second-half against the Tar Heels last weekend, Duke’s offense looks as strong as ever and its new-look defense has this Blue Devil team looking as strong as ever.
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Digital Strategy Director for Vol. 115, Michael was previously Sports Editor for Vol. 114 and Assistant Blue Zone Editor for Vol. 113. Michael is a senior majoring in Statistical Science and is interested in data analytics and using data to make insights.