With the graduation of defensive stoppers Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek, there were plenty of questions about Duke’s defense starting the new season.
Although it now takes a different form—with more emphasis this season on on-the-ball pressure from guards—the Blue Devils showed that, so far, their defense is more than sufficient. The team dictated the tempo of the game and forced 27 turnovers in its 97-60 win over Princeton.
Alternating between half-court and full-court pressure, Duke’s smothering defense was what turned the game, according to Princeton head coach Sydney Johnson.
“We threw the ball away a little bit too much,” Johnson said. “You can’t do that, especially against a team like Duke.”
The Blue Devils turned those 27 turnovers into 36 points, almost equal to the margin of victory.
The pressure defense is a result of Duke’s increased depth at the guard position, which allows the Blue Devils to keep the pressure high without worrying about depleting their energy level. Six players recorded steals in the game, a clear indication of the balance on the team.
“[Princeton] likes to play two guards forty minutes if possible,” guard Seth Curry, who had one of those steals off the bench, said. “We just have to put the pressure on, make them work on the offensive and defensive end. Our four guards would come in and out, wear their legs down.”
Princeton, a team which sets its offense up in the half court, was put off its game by this defense. The pressure forced the Tigers out of their half-court game and allowed Duke to play to its strength—namely, its skill on the fastbreak. The Blue Devils had 12 fastbreak points compared to Princeton’s two.
“That’s what Coach [Mike Krzyzewski] wants,” Curry said. “He wants to put pressure on them to speed up the tempo, because they’re a team that likes to slow it down.... Fast-paced game, that’s what we like.”
The highlight reel showed the accomplishments of the new defense. Midway through the second half, freshman Josh Hairston stole the ball at midcourt and ran down the open floor for a two-handed slam that lifted the roof off of Cameron Indoor Stadium. Hairston’s big smile following the play was clear for all to see.
Fellow freshman Tyler Thornton also reaped the rewards of this pressure, stealing the ball near the end of the game and coolly finishing on the break. Those two scores were the pair’s only baskets in their college debuts.
The pressure defense also forced different Princeton players to advance the ball, including those less comfortable running the offense. As a result, the Tigers made frequent bad decisions, and the Blue Devils took full advantage.
“When we had different guys advancing the ball, they weren’t as comfortable as they should be,” Johnson said. “Then we made some questionable decisions... and played faster than we wanted at times.”
Duke’s ability to dictate the tempo of play will be essential in its defense of the national championship, especially when facing teams that do not match up well against the Blue Devils.
“It would be easier to play against a team that also likes to run, and we’ll get to do our thing,” senior Nolan Smith said. “It was a good first game for us to learn about ourselves and know that we have to be able to execute in a slow game and in a half-court game.”
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