After securing a landmark victory with Sunday’s 77-68 comeback triumph against St. John’s, the Blue Devils head right back to the hardwood for the opening half of their toughest two-game stretch to date. No. 4 Duke travels to South Bend, Ind. to square off with No. 8 Notre Dame at Purcell Pavilion at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday before taking on undefeated No. 2 Virginia Saturday.
Wednesday’s matchup features two of the best offenses in the country—the Fighting Irish lead the nation in points per possession at 1.25 and the Blue Devils are not far behind at 1.19. Here’s a look at one player from each side who could determine the outcome of a crucial ACC showdown. Before each game this season, the Blue Zone will select a player on both teams that could make the difference for their respective squads:
Duke: guard Matt Jones
The sophomore from Desoto, Texas, might not be putting up gaudy offensive numbers—he averages less than five points per game—but he is a critical role player and one of Duke’s most ferocious defenders. With freshman Justise Winslow’s minutes and effectiveness limited by multiple upper body injuries, look for Jones to step in and be a big contributor Wednesday. Jones played 24 minutes—his second-highest total of the season—and contributed four points and six rebounds to help spark Sunday's game-defining 21-4 run with Winslow ailing and Rasheed Sulaimon battling foul trouble. The six rebounds marked a season-high for Jones, but crashing the boards is something he will have to continue doing if he is to fill in for the 6-foot-6 Winslow.
Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski has switched up his starting lineup only once this season—against N.C. State, when Jones was given the starting nod instead of Amile Jefferson—but if he decides Winslow is not at full strength and can’t start against Notre Dame, Jones is the likely choice to slide into the starting rotation. Against a Fighting Irish squad that boasts one of the most efficient offenses in the country—leading the nation in points per possession and ranking second in field goal percentage—Jones’ defensive prowess will be vital. At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, he matches up perfectly against Jerian Grant, Notre Dame’s leading scorer who averages more than 17 points per game and shoots better than 50 percent from the field. If Jones can slow down Grant and hound him into taking some ill-advised shots, it will go a long way towards securing Duke’s third road victory against a top-10 team this year.
Notre Dame: guard Pat Connaughton
Connaughton likely cost himself a few hundred thousand dollars with his decision to return for his senior season at Notre Dame as opposed to joining the Baltimore Orioles—who drafted him in the fourth round of the MLB draft following his junior year—but it’s hard to argue with his production on the court this season. The senior from Arlington, Mass., is on pace for career-highs across the board, and is posting an impressive line of 13.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Connaughton possesses a rare combination of skills that allows him to flourish both in the paint and out on the perimeter—he leads the Fighting Irish in rebounds and blocks, but also in 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage.
Connaughton has been deadly from long range this season, with 53 made triples at a 45.3 conversion rate and eight games with four or more makes from distance. Should the Blue Devils use the zone defense they have been employing the last few weeks, Notre Dame will likely look to ride the hot hand and let Connaughton and his four teammates with 25 or more 3-point makes on the year fire away from beyond the arc. If Duke decides to go with its more traditional man-to-man defense, he will benefit from the weakened health of Winslow—the Blue Devils’ own swingman who was likely to draw the defensive assignment of slowing down Connaughton. Either way, Connaughton could be in for a big night offensively as the Fighting Irish look to defend their home court and move up in the national rankings.
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