X-factor: Duke looks to Jack White's 3-point shot to help put away Pittsburgh

<p>Jack White's ability as a starter will be tested once again against the Panthers.</p>

Jack White's ability as a starter will be tested once again against the Panthers.

After picking up a massive home win against ACC powerhouse Virginia, Duke enters a lighter portion of its conference schedule, traveling to Pittsburgh for a Tuesday night showdown with the Panthers. The Blue Zone takes a look at a player from each side that could tilt the contest one way or the other. 

Duke: Forward Jack White 

Jack White was called upon to play his biggest role in a Duke uniform against Virginia last Saturday, and he stepped up in a big way. 

Checking his stat line, it would not seem this way, as the 6-foot-7 junior tallied only four points to go with four rebounds against the Cavaliers. This simple evaluation, however, would be failing to recognize White’s most important contribution— his 40 minutes on the floor in the win. 

With Tre Jones out, head coach Mike Krzyzewski has been forced into a 7-man rotation that really only has five contributing players— Saturday’s starters. White was instrumental in his defensive play and court presence for all 40 of his minutes, and the Blue Devils will require this from him again come 9 p.m. Tuesday, facing a fast Pittsburgh team that has upset many teams, having knocked off No.11 Florida State last Monday. 

If Jones remains unable to go against the Panthers, we may be seeing more of the two man show that is Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett on the offensive end of the ball— but the Panthers will be ready. They consistently face teams larger than them, using not their size but instead their speed to block lanes of driving opponents, sometimes with multiple defenders. 

It is exactly this tendency that will leave Jack White in the corner, with nobody within 15 feet of him when Duke’s driving forwards need an outside option. 

In this game, the Blue Devils will need to do better from beyond the arc than the abysmal 2-of-14 that they posted on Saturday. Look for Jack White to be instrumental in bringing this number up against a Panther team that will be sure to also hit from deep. 

Pittsburgh: Guard Trey McGowens 

Trey McGowens, coming in at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, will likely enter the game Tuesday night as the smallest man on the floor. 

But what he lacks for in size and weight, he more than makes up for with his speed and playmaking ability. Against a large Florida State lineup this past Monday, McGowens dropped 30 points, using his agility to push the pace in transition and get to the bucket for two. 

His drives are often well contested, and this will not change when the Blue Devils travel to Pittsburgh on Tuesday, but the freshman thrives off contact. His shiftiness draws a continuous stream of fouls, and at Florida State he went to the line a game-high 19 times. 

He converted on 18. 

This may pose a problem for a Duke defense that thrives on length as well as paint presence. Whether the Blue Devils open in a man-to-man or a 2-3 zone defense, McGowens has the ability to exploit the main defensive fault of Jones-less Duke— the fouling of driving guards. It is not unusual for one, two or even three Blue Devils to get into foul trouble in a game, and this is Pittsburgh’s avenue to victory. 

It must also be noted that the Piedmont, S.C. native is not just a pure scorer. He is an excellent on-ball defender, racking up five steals against the formidable Seminole lineup, and he also dished out a game-high four assists. The speed with which he facilitates the transition game for the Panthers poses a problem for a Blue Devil team coming off a big win against Virginia, a team that did not convert much from downtown, and went into a half court set more often than not. 

Look for McGowens and the Pittsburgh Panthers attempt to overwhelm the large Duke lineup with speed and drawing contact at the rim— their best hope to walk out with a win Tuesday night. 

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