After a loss at the buzzer to Kansas last week, the Blue Devils took care of business at the Hall of Fame Tip-Off, knocking off Penn State Saturday before defeating Rhode Island Sunday in the championship game. Duke has a short break following the busy weekend before hosting William & Mary Wednesday in Durham. The Blue Zone takes a look at a player from each team who could be a difference-maker in Wednesday’s game.
Duke: Forward Amile Jefferson
Although sophomore guard Luke Kennard was Duke's leading scorer in last weekend’s tournament, the Blue Devils could not have won without impressive contributions from Jefferson. The 6-foot-9 graduate student is averaging a double-double through five games this season, including a 17-point, 15-rebound performance in Sunday’s championship game against the Rams. With freshmen Harry Giles, Marques Bolden and Jayson Tatum out of the lineup with injuries, Jefferson already had a large role to fill even before sophomore Chase Jeter went down with an ankle injury Saturday. In their absence, the veteran big man has been indispensable for the Blue Devils, as he has logged at least 30 minutes in each of their last three games.
Against William & Mary, Jefferson has the potential to explode for another huge game on the boards. The Tribe have lost their top rebounders from last season—swingman Terry Tarpey and forward Sean Sheldon—and return a squad with no players taller than 6-foot 9. With no larger competition in the frontcourt, Jefferson should be able to help Duke control the boards and be a key player for the Blue Devils.
William & Mary: Guard Daniel Dixon
With the Tribe benefitting in the post from the Blue Devils' depleted frontcourt, William & Mary needs to find an answer to Duke's stacked backcourt. In order for the Tribe to hang around with the likes of Frank Jackson, Grayson Allen, Luke Kennard and Matt Jones, star guard Daniel Dixon will have to be a force on both offense and defense. Dixon leads a balanced Tribe offense that features three players averaging double figures with 12.7 points per game. He has been a threat from beyond the arc early in the season, knocking down 39.1 percent of his 3-point attempts, but has struggled to find shots closer to the basket.
Against a solid Blue Devil backcourt, Dixon’s ability to find shots around the perimeter will be critical for William & Mary. The senior guard can stretch the defense, which will help the Tribe work the ball inside to take advantage of Duke's limited depth.
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