The key three: Duke basketball vs. Pittsburgh

After just one day off, No. 17 Duke (15-4, 5-2 in the ACC) will take on No. 18 Pittsburgh (16-2, 6-1) Monday at 7 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center in the teams’ first matchup as conference foes. Duke’s recent rebounding progress and success on the road will be put to the test against one of the three teams ahead of the Blue Devils in the ACC standings. The Panthers are one of the nation’s best defensive teams and allow just 60.2 points per game. The game holds further significance because the Blue Devils play at No. 2 Syracuse later in the week, making Monday’s game the start of a huge two-game stretch. Here are the three keys to a Duke victory:

Speed up the tempo

Monday’s contest features some of the premier players in the ACC and two contrasting styles. The Blue Devils like to push the tempo on offense and speed their opponents up with aggressive defense and the Panthers like to methodically grind out wins by being disciplined on both ends of the court. The team that controls the tempo of Monday’s game will likely have a huge advantage. Duke’s ability to speed Pittsburgh up by getting off to a good start and using liberal substitutions could be the difference in the game, especially if the Blue Devils can attack the paint in transition. Led by senior forward Talib Zanna, the Panthers have one of the most athletic frontlines in the country and make it very difficult for opponents to get easy opportunities inside. If the teams play a high scoring game, Duke’s odds of winning dramatically increase.

Make Panthers not named Lamar Patterson Hit Perimeter Shots

Pittsburgh senior guard Lamar Patterson leads the Panther attack, averaging 17.9 points per contest. He also leads the team in assists and is the team’s best 3-point shooter at 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. Although Patterson is a prolific scorer and can score from anywhere, his teammates are not nearly as proficient at making shots outside the paint. In Pittsburgh’s two losses this season, Cincinnati and Syracuse held the Panthers to less than 55 points by accounting for Patterson at all times and closing off the paint. Duke will need to take a similar approach and finish defensive possessions by securing block-outs to come away victorious.

Be the Aggressor

Against a big, physical Florida State team on Saturday, Duke won by a wide margin despite having its worst shooting game of the season. The Blue Devils accomplished the feat by attacking the Seminoles in every aspect of the game. Duke took the ball to the basket more, rebounded with more force and aggressively pursued every loose ball. The Blue Devils also got a number of calls from the officials because of their aggressive play on both ends of the court. Monday’s game will require a similar level of tenacity because of Pittsburgh’s physicality. More than any nuances of the game, toughness will likely determine the victor in just the second matchup of ranked ACC foes this season.