After securing their first road ACC victory in Pittsburgh Wednesday, Duke will return home and look to move above .500 in conference play with a win against in-state rival Wake Forest Saturday at noon. The Blue Zone gives the three keys to the game for the Blue Devils:
Consistent defensive effort
After being torched by Boston College, Duke hasn't shown that it can put together a complete defensive performance against a quality opponent. After falling to the Eagles, Blue Devils forced 21 turnovers and held Evansville to shoot just 30 percent, but then proceeded to get torched for 93 points to Florida State and 96 to North Carolina State.
With Duke limiting the Pittsburgh to 52 points, the obvious question is whether the game was indicative of better defensive communication or a product of Pittsburgh’s inept offense. The Demon Deacons, who are averaging 77 points per game, will be a much better test for the defense. Another strong defensive effort will go much further in quelling concerns about this team that is just barely in the top-100 in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to basketball statistician Ken Pomeroy’s rankings.
Grayson Allen’s three-ball consistency
Grayson Allen has looked nothing like the lethal weapon from deep that he was early in the season, including a 37-point explosion against Michigan State Nov. 14. But he has shot a putrid 7-of-32 from beyond the arc in conference play, including a 2-for-9 dud Wednesday against the Panthers.
Duke's offense operates in full force when Allen is a consistent threat on the perimeter – allowing for better spacing on the floor. With a road matchup against No. 18 Miami looming on Monday, Allen needs to find his stroke quickly.
Trevon Duval plays within his skillset
Despite going 3-for-5 from deep against Pittsburgh, Duval needs to understand that he is not the primary option on the perimeter. Unless the shot-clock is winding down or any other special circumstance, he should not be settling for a shot from deep, as even with his breakout performance Wednesday, he has shot just 21.3 percent from 3-point range this season.
Rather, the freshman point guard should stick to his bread-and-butter, getting to the rim and facilitating the offense as the primary distributor. Against Florida State, Duval flashed his explosiveness and finishing ability down the stretch with three straight baskets around the rim. These are the sort of plays that made scouts compare Duval to reigning NBA MVP Russell Westbrook when he came out of high school—not his shooting ability.
When he can get to the paint with a dribble-drive, Duval also opens up a plethora of kick-outs and dump-offs that lead to quality looks. If Duval can turn in a solid turnover-free performance in which a large portion of his shots come within 15 feet, the Blue Devils will be in a good position offensively.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.