After rebounding from a loss to Virginia with a resounding victory over Notre Dame Monday, the Blue Devils will take a break in ACC play to take on St. John’s. Duke will travel to Madison Square Garden Saturday at noon looking to secure a perfect non-conference record with a win over the Red Storm. The Blue Zone takes a look at one player from each team that could be the difference-maker.
Duke: Guard Trevon Duval
Following a strong performance against the Fighting Irish, Duval will look to continue his improved play on the road. Although the environment will not be as hostile as a typical road game because MSG is the Blue Devils’ “second home,” the experience will be invaluable as an away matchup against rival North Carolina looms next Thursday.
Look for Duval to focus on limiting turnovers and staying out of foul trouble while continuing to gain confidence from deep. After an eight-turnover performance in a loss to NC State, the freshman point guard did well taking care of the ball before a five-turnover game against UVA cost Duke down the stretch. If he can maintain his composure in the road environment and make smart decisions instead of forcing passes, the offense will run far more smoothly.
On the other side of the court, Duval has a tendency to find himself in foul trouble early, forcing head coach Krzyzewski to turn to the bench early. The freshman averages almost three fouls per game and must focus on sound footwork, especially when matched up against Shamorie Ponds.
Finally, Duval has shot 57.1 percent from deep in his last seven games following a breakout performance against Pittsburgh almost three weeks ago. If Duval shows some consistency in knocking down one or two long-balls a game, defenders will be forced to respect his shot, thereby giving him more opportunities to get to the rim and finish – the best part of his skillset.
St. John’s: Guard Shamorie Ponds
The Red Storm have struggled to score on a consistent basis throughout the season, especially against conference foes. They have had outings ranging from 45 points in a loss to Butler to 89 in a defeat against Georgetown. Averaging 72.3 points-per-game on the season, St. John’s will need a strong offensive performance if it hopes to go head-to-head with the nation’s number two scoring team.
Look for production no further than point guard Shamorie Ponds. The 6-foot-1 sophomore has registered four 30-plus point performances this season and averages 19.7 points-per-game along with 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists. Although he is shooting just 21.5 percent from deep on the season, he does attempt a high-volume of shots – 6.1 threes per game – so the Blue Devils must be wary of Ponds getting hot. On the other side of the ball, he is an adept defender, contributing 2.5 steals-per-game, while rarely falling into foul trouble. If Ponds can generate significant offense for the Red Storm, the game may be much closer than expected.
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