For those who have lived under a rock for the past year or so, Duke won the 2010 national championship in Indianapolis. Several variables contributed to the fourth title in head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s tenure at the university, but three central areas formed the foundation for the success: high percentage shots, offensive rebounding and the emergence of a post presence.
While the roster has changed this season, the statistics have remained remarkably similar.
Going into the 2010 NCAA Tournament, the Blue Devils were searching for a post presence, and they found it with the dynamic duo of Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas. This year’s team faces the same challenge.
Enter the Plumlee brothers.
Mason and Miles Plumlee have stepped up to close the season, highlighted by outstanding performances in the ACC tournament. Over those three games, the two combined to average 6.3 offensive rebounds, 13.3 total rebounds and 16 points per game, all of which are improvements in comparison to their regular season statistics.
A similar coming-out party occurred in the very same tournament last season, when Zoubek and Thomas averaged 7.2 offensive rebounds, 15.3 total rebounds and 10.5 points per game, with all categories representing a step up from regular season play.
This added edge in the paint should provide the Blue Devils ample opportunity to score—although shooting the ball has rarely been a problem for Duke.
Last season, the team shot a dazzling 44 percent from the field and 39 percent from behind the arc. While this year’s squad may not shoot the ball as frequently, attempting almost 70 less shots at this point of the season, the Blue Devils are just as deadly. The 2010-11 team has shot 47 percent from the field overall and 38 percent from 3-point land, nearly identical numbers to that of the 2009-10 squad.
Although shooting wasn’t an issue, second chance opportunities were for both teams. Look at any Blue Devil loss over the last two seasons, and there is one common flaw: an inability to make shots. As a result, a key concern for Duke teams the past few years has been grabbing offensive rebounds, giving shooters another look at the basket.
Luckily, in the ACC tournament, Duke improved its offensive rebounding, and it showed. The Blue Devils capitalized on offensive rebounds to the tune of 14.7 points per game, higher than their regular season average.
And with its improved offensive rebounding, none of Duke’s games in the tournament finished closer than 14 points. For a team that has won a great majority of its games by double digits (26 of the 30 total wins), this may not seem like a big deal, but each of the three teams the Blue Devils faced in Greensboro were quality opponents, and two of them had beaten Duke in their previous meeting.
The Blue Devils’ bracket draw for the journey to Houston is more challenging than last year’s, but if history really does repeat itself, one fact remains the same: The Duke Blue Devils will be back-to-back national champs.
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