After each Duke men's basketball game this season, check back here for the Player of the Game and more. Today, the Blue Zone dives into Kyle Filipowski's consistent shooting skills and how the Blue Devils' defense helped them to a victory against Boston College:
One player: Kyle Filipowski
The freshman forward and reigning ACC Rookie of the Week had an outstanding game Saturday, recording 13 points and 10 rebounds en route to yet another double-double. Filipowski towered above Boston College and was dominant throughout the floor, nailing one shot from behind the arc on three attempts, along with going 4-of-4 from the charity stripe. Though he shot just 4-of-10 from the field, Filipowski had a significant impact on the Duke victory. The big man from Westtown, N.Y., has been dominant all year, and his consistent scoring will be important for the Blue Devils as they head into tough conference play in the coming weeks and months.
One word: Size
The Blue Devils scored 36 points from the paint, and their inside dominance was a major factor in getting the win. Boston College was outsized and outmatched by a towering Duke squad that features two consistent starters taller than seven feet in Dereck Lively II and Kyle Filipowski. On the flipside, the Eagles' tallest player that saw significant minutes was 6-foot-9 forward T.J. Bickerstaff. That three-inch height difference proved to be a huge help in the game, as Lively picked up three blocks alone, while the Blue Devils as a whole blocked seven shots on the evening.
“Dereck had three blocked shots, but he impacts way more than just the three blocks, [with] just him being in the game,” said head coach Jon Scheyer at the postgame press conference.
One stat: Boston College shooting 37.5% from the field
A big part of Duke’s win Saturday evening was its defense. The Blue Devils held the Eagles to a modest 24-of-64 clip from the field, with Boston College putting up just 59 points. Duke’s defense was suffocating, and the Blue Devils’ size played a big role in keeping the Eagles out of the paint. Because of Duke's post presence, Boston College was forced to stick largely to shots from mid-range or behind the arc, which they drained on low percentages. The Blue Devils were a challenge throughout the evening, and their ability to block shots and keep the Eagles from establishing an inside presence played a huge role in their victory. Just as Duke has in past years, it has once again established itself as a defensive powerhouse this season.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.