Duke plays its two most important games of the early season tonight and Tuesday, and we're here to give you three things to look for when watching the first game of the CBE Classic, Duke-Marquette.
Can Marquette slow down Duke?
Tonight represents a classic battle of differing styles: Duke, the fast-paced, high-octane offense and Marquette the slower, more methodical "O." Duke has found success in those types of games, exhibit A being the beatdown put on Princeton Nov. 13. Still, as Andy Katz pointed out on ESPN today, Marquette, despite being the less talented team, could push Duke into playing an ugly, slowed-down game. It is really the Golden Eagles' only way to have a chance to win, and will they succeed?
Will Nolan Smith and Kyrie Irving pad the assist total again?
Duke's win over Colgate was, by many respects, a showcase of the beautiful brand of basketball that the Blue Devils were expected to play this season. Part of this was due to superb "connecting passes," as head coach Mike Krzyzewski called them, which led to nine assists each for Irving and Smith. Will the two guards continue their great passing performance in their biggest spotlight yet this year?
How much will Andre Dawkins and Seth Curry see the court?
Two of the more pleasant surprises for Duke so far has been the play of Dawkins and Curry. Curry is averaging 14 points per game (tied with Kyle Singler), while Dawkins is averaging just over 12 a game and is shooting 50 percent. Both also may make Duke a better team when they're on the court. As we explained today, the Blue Devils' lineup with only one post player was statistically more productive against Colgate, both offensively and defensively, than the more traditional two-post-player lineup. Against the Raiders, the one-post-player lineup outscored the two, 36-32. Defensively, it only allowed 11 points, while the other allowed 21. Curry and Dawkins seem to make Duke better when they are on the court; will they get to show that again tonight?
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