The Blue Devils will continue its conference slate vs. No. 13 Florida State this Saturday. The Blue Zone takes a look at a player from each team that could be a difference-maker in the game.
Duke: Forward Cam Reddish
After a string of poor performances from Reddish, the Norristown, Pa., native had a decent game against Wake Forest last Tuesday, scoring 10 points on 2-of-7 shooting from the field. This game marked the first time Reddish scored in double digits since the beginning of December against Yale. Reddish has been in a shooting slump as of late and has dipped from 43 percent from beyond the arc before Duke’s matchup with Hartford to just 36.1 percent now.
Against Florida State, the Blue Devils will need him to step up and hit some 3-pointers as the Seminoles rank 116th in the nation in defending the three ball. Duke nation can only hope that Reddish will build off his Wake Forest game and finally escape his shooting slump once and for all.
Reddish may also be tasked with defending Florida state leading scorer and rebounder Terance Mann who has been the catalyst to the Seminoles’ successes this season. Mann averages 11.8 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game on an efficient 54.5 percent shooting from the field. Reddish will not be alone in attempting to stop Mann on the defensive side of the floor, as fellow freshman RJ Barrett is also more than capable of playing good perimeter defense. However, Reddish’s long frame and quick feet make him more suitable to guard 6-foot-7 Mann.
Florida State: Trent Forrest
In order to beat Duke, Florida State needs its starting point guard, Forrest, to do something few other point guards have been able to do against the Blue Devils this season - take care of the ball. Duke ranks 14th in the nation in forced turnovers and second in steals per game, thanks to in large part, freshman Tre Jones. The Apple Valley, Minn., native has consistently rattled point guards with stellar full-court defense, causing opposing teams to cough up the ball more than they are used to.
Thankfully for Florida State, Forrest has proved more than capable of securing the rock thus far, with an adequate assist to turnover ratio of 1.4 over the course of 14 games. If Forrest can run the Seminoles’ offense without allowing Jones’ defensive pressure to affect his game, Florida State can limit the amount of fast-breaks the Blue Devils use to make up the bulk of their offense.
Forrest also brings experience at the Seminole helm which usually helps teams exploit Duke’s young core. What he doesn’t bring to the table however as a seasoned veteran, is a consistent three-point shot. He is averaging an abysmal 15.8 percent from beyond the arc this season which negatively affects Florida State’s spacing. Combined with his ball security though and his basketball IQ acquired over three seasons, he could tip the scales in favor of the Seminoles Saturday afternoon.
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