Coming off of two dominant victories over Elon and Utah Valley this weekend, top-ranked Duke will face its first real test of the season in second-ranked Michigan State on Tuesday at the United Center in Chicago.
Duke: Guard Gary Trent Jr.
The 6-foot-6 freshman is primarily known for his offensive ability, and for good reason. In the first two games of the season, the Columbus, Ohio native is averaging 17.0 points per game on an impressive 46.2 field goal percentage, including an lethal 53.8 three-point field goal percentage. Trent Jr., who excels at both taking it inside and spot-up shooting from beyond the arc, serves as a perfect complement to Duke’s leading scorers, powerful Marvin Bagley III and lethal senior captain Grayson Allen.
Despite his offensive prowess, Trent Jr.’s defense will be the most crucial to Duke’s success this Tuesday night—he will likely match up against preseason All-American Miles Bridges. The Spartans’ star sophomore is returning from a dazzling 2016-17 campaign, where he put up 16.9 points per game at a respectable .486 clip.
Trent Jr. is not yet battle-tested on the defensive end, and his first challenge comes against arguably the hardest three to face in the country in Bridges, except possibly Trent Jr. himself. If the Blue Devils can keep Bridges in check, Duke should be able to escape Chicago victorious. However, if Trent Jr. struggles on the defensive end, this could be a frustrating night for head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Michigan State: Jaren Jackson Jr.
Although Michigan State’s 2017 recruiting class doesn’t hold a candle to Duke’s heralded freshman class, Tom Izzo was able to entice five-star recruit Jaren Jackson Jr. to don the green and white this fall.
Jackson profiles as a highly physical big, and utilizes his 6-foot-11 frame and elite athleticism on the paint on both ends of the floor. The La Lumiere School product tallied eight blocks in an exhibition game against Ferris State, and stuffed the stat sheet in the Spartans’ season opener against North Florida, compiling 13 points, 13 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2 steals in just 22 minutes. Perhaps most impressive is that Jackson went to the free throw line 10 times in his last game and knocked down nine.
Jackson will face off against Duke’s standout freshman Marvin Bagley III, who has shone in the early going, putting up 24.5 points per game on a 65.7 field goal percentage. Two of the premier big men in college basketball will battle on Tuesday night, and the key to the game may come down to who between Bagley and Jackson can stay out of foul trouble.
If Jackson can get to the free line with as much ease as he did against North Florida, Bagley’s minutes may be limited, and the Blue Devils would be forced to play reserve big men in Marques Bolden and Javin DeLaurier in extended action. On the upside for Duke, Jackson accumulated four fouls in limited action during the season opener. In short, the matchup between Bagley and Jackson will be crucial.
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