No. 5 Duke secured its third consecutive ACC win in their 83-75 road triumph against the Hurricanes. The Blue Zone gives three key takeaways and stats and looks forward for the Blue Devils:
Three key takeaways
1. Duke's grit returns
The second half of Monday’s contest against Miami exhibited both Duke’s clear vulnerabilities and utter dominance. For over seven minutes in the beginning of the second half, the Blue Devils failed to score a point. In this dry spell, the Mike Krzyzewski-led squad committed six turnovers and missed all six of their attempts from the line.
Any hope of a tough win on the road seemed to be lost with the Blue Devils facing a deficit of 13 points with only eight minutes remaining, until a switch appeared to flip for the team. Then, a red-hot Gary Trent Jr. drilled consecutive attempts from beyond the arc, sparking Duke to end the game on a 30-9 run and its first ACC win on the road. The Blue Devils' grit, which seemed to be its hallmark in the beginning of the season, finally returned.
2. Trent shines
Coming off of a remarkably efficient performance of 19 points on just 8 shots in Duke’s 89-71 rout over Wake Forest, freshman guard Gary Trent Jr. delivered the best performance of his young career against Miami. The freshman led all Duke scorers with 30 points, the highest total of his young career. Trent Jr. connected on six three-pointers in the game for the second straight game, including an electrifying make as time expired in the first half—and yes, he did call bank. If Trent stays hot, the Blue Devils' offense could be a whole lot more potent going forward, with a perimeter game to match their interior dominance.
3. Allen’s ongoing shooting slump
Once again, Grayson Allen appeared to lack confidence in his shot, converting just two of his nine field goal attempts. The senior has scored just seven points in his last two appearances, the lowest two game points total Allen has tallied since his freshman campaign. Despite his scoring drought, the Blue Devils’ captain has continued to be a playmaker, showcased most strongly in his highlight reel steal and assist sequence leading to Trent Jr.’s buzzer beater.
Three key stats
1. Duke’s free throw woes persist
The Blue Devils made just 10 of their 21 free throw attempts, good for an abysmal 47.6 percent clip. Entering Monday night, Duke had the No. 214 free throw percentage in the nation. The trio leading the team in attempts—Marvin Bagley III, Trevon Duval, and Wendell Carter Jr.—all have shot below 70 percent from the charity stripe, and they combined to connect on just four of their 13 free throws on Monday.
2. Bagley III disappears offensively
Scoring just 13 points matched up against a talented Miami frontcourt, Bagley accrued his lowest scoring total of the 2017-18 season, aside from his injury-shortened performance against Michigan State. Although the freshman sensation was quiet, Duke’s other three freshmen starters in Carter Jr., Trent Jr, and Duval all stepped up in a major way. This was encouraging for the Blue Devils, as their offensive success appears to be less solely focused on the success of Bagley.
3. Limited bench involvement
In 22 combined minutes Justin Robinson, Alex O’Connell, Jordan Goldwire and Jack White combined for three points, one rebound, and one turnover. The disappearance of the Blue Devils’ bench is alarming—a consistent rotation of only five players may be dangerous. Duke will have to get Marques Bolden and Javin DeLaurier back on the floor if it wants to have the deep bench it needs to make a deep March run.
Looking forward:
The Blue Devils’ comeback victory over Miami displayed the Jekyll and Hyde nature of this year’s team. One moment, Duke looked lost under pressure, seemingly letting their inexperience take over. But the teams sheer talent can overwhelm opponents in a flash and produce breathtaking finishes, powerful blocks and thunderous dunks. This volatility means that the Blue Devils are susceptible to dropping games they shouldn’t—like against Boston College and North Carolina State—but it also makes Duke a terrifying team to play against.
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