X factor: Duke basketball vs. Virginia

Duke has survived Clemson and N.C. State upset bids, and now needs an upset of its own against top-seeded Virginia Sunday afternoon in the ACC tournament championship game. The No. 6 Cavaliers survived a stiff test from Pittsburgh Saturday, but used strong defense and balanced scoring to earn a shot at the title. Tip off will be at 1 p.m. at the Greensboro Coliseum. Here are the X factors for both teams in the championship game.

Duke: guard Quinn Cook

There hasn't been much Quinnsannity since Duke's ACC opener against Notre Dame, when Cook went off for 22 points. But the junior guard, who has lost his starting role due to ineffective play, showed signes of life against N.C. State, rattling home three of his four attempts from beyond the arc, as well as he's shot from distance in a single game since knocking in 5-of-7 against Boston College Feb. 8. It's time for Cook to stop teasing the Blue Devils with glimpses of brilliance and rediscover whatever magic was working for him in nonconference play, when he was averaging 13.5 points and 6.3 assists per game. With starter Tyler Thornton in seemingly perpetual foul trouble and Rodney Hood no stranger to two first-half personals, Cook's production could be paramount for the Blue Devils if they hope to upset the Cavaliers and stake a claim to a top seed in the NCAA tournament.

Virginia: guard Justin Anderson

The ACC's Sixth Man of the Year has hit the skids lately, averaging 3.7 points per game on 30.8 percent shooting in his last three games. Anderson is usually a reliable option for head coach Tony Bennett off the pine, but that hasn't been the case thus far in the ACC tournament. He has shown the ability to go off for big games—he scored 12 points against Duke on Jan. 13—but has reached his season average of 8.4 points per game just twice in his last 10 games. Duke has had a propensity for allowing big games to backup guards this tournament—Anthony Barber scored 12 Saturday and Jordan Roper had 11 Friday—which could open the door for a big day from the sophomore Anderson. Given Virginia's reliance on a balanced attack, Anderson's production may be a necessity against a team like the Blue Devils.