The key three: Duke basketball vs. Miami

In its second road game against a ranked opponent this season, No. 1 Duke (16-1, 3-1 in the ACC) will face No. 25 Miami (13-3, 4-0) at 7 pm in Coral Gables, Fla. After falling to N.C. State 84-76 in their first road test, the Blue Devils rebounded with a 73-57 win against Georgia Tech at home. They hope to earn their first road win tonight against the Hurricanes, while Miami tries to preserve their perfect home record.

Here are three keys to the game:

Starting strong

Duke entered the locker room at halftime down 28-27 against Georgia Tech after a sluggish first half. The Blue Devils shot 27.3% from the field on 9-of-33 shooting in the opening 20 minutes. After staging a second-half comeback, Duke defeated the Yellow Jackets in convincing fashion. Playing one half of good basketball will not cut it against Miami, however.  The Hurricanes boast the 18th-ranked field-goal percentage defense in the country, holding their opponents to a 37.5% field-goal percentage on average. Because their sturdy defense would make it difficult for the Blue Devils to overcome a first-half deficit, it is especially important for Duke to play well from the opening whistle.

Thriving under pressure

Duke's first road game against N.C. State marked the Blue Devils' only loss of the season as well as their first game without senior starter Ryan Kelly, who is sidelined indefinitely with a foot injury. After losing to the Wolfpack and continuing to miss Kelly's big-man presence, the Blue Devils are under pressure to prove that they can win on the road and pick up the slack in the veteran's absence. The outcome of the game will depend on whether they thrive or crumble under this pressure.

Playing to its strengths

Following last week's game against Georgia Tech, senior Mason Plumlee said, "We have to find a new identity because we are a different team [without Kelly]. We have to play to our strengths, and we're not the same team that was [15-0]." Duke played to its strengths against the Yellow Jackets, with Plumlee scoring 14 points in the paint and senior Seth Curry hitting 6-of-7 from long-range. Plumlee's strong inside presence and Curry's sharp shooting, among the Blue Devils' other strengths, will be critical to taking down a Miami squad with a perfect record at home and in the ACC.