In just its second game of the season, No. 2 Duke will face a ranked opponent in No. 12 Arizona. While the Blue Devils trounced Dartmouth in their first game — cruising to a 92-54 victory — Friday will be an entirely different challenge. The Wildcats opened as the favorites to win the Pac-12 and will bring their best to Durham.
Ahead of the matchup, here are five things to watch for:
Familiar foe
Duke fans anticipate the return of former North Carolina guard Caleb Love to Cameron Indoor Stadium. The senior scored 22 and 28 points, respectively, in the Tar Heels’ last two victories against the Blue Devils — March 5, 2022 in Durham and Apr. 2, 2022 in the Final Four. This time around, Love will be playing for the Wildcats, as he transferred to Arizona ahead of this season.
The St. Louis native was known for shooting the ball from anywhere on the court during his time in Chapel Hill, and he will likely take on a similar role this year. He attempted six 3-pointers in the Wildcats’ first game of the year against Morgan State and totaled 12 points. In addition, Love is skilled at drawing fouls and knocking down his opportunities from the line. He was an 81.5% free-throw shooter at North Carolina and has made all four of his attempts thus far this season for Arizona.
Since he excels at running the floor and getting to the free-throw line, it will likely take a rotation of guards to contain Love. Duke’s backcourt struggled with foul trouble against the Big Green, with all three starters — Jared McCain, Jeremy Roach and Tyrese Proctor — picking up two in the first half. A similar outing Friday could lead to another big night in Cameron Indoor for Love. That being said, the team’s history with Love seems inconsequential to the players.
“To be honest, I don't really care [about Love],” sophomore center Kyle Filipowski said at a Thursday press conference. “I'm ready to play Arizona as a group, no matter where they came from.”
Playing healthy
Sophomore forward Mark Mitchell did not play against Dartmouth due to a sprained ankle, and although head coach Jon Scheyer was optimistic of his prognosis postgame and at the Thursday press conference, his health is not certain for Friday.
While Mitchell’s absence was not much of a factor against the Big Green, he will be key to the Blue Devils’ defensive game plan against the Wildcats, as he is one of the most versatile defenders on the roster. His combination of length and the ability to guard the perimeter make him a Swiss Army knife for Scheyer, as Mitchell can cover up and down the opposing lineup. Mitchell’s status will be something to watch carefully as the game comes closer.
“[Mitchell] practiced yesterday, had a good day, [but] he's still not 100%,” Scheyer said Thursday. “So [Thursday] will be an important day. Hopefully he's on track to play in the game tomorrow.”
In addition, Duke fans got their first glimpse of “two-hip Flip” Monday, as Filipowski showed off his new mobility after undergoing an offseason hip surgery. The preseason All-American scored at will, collecting a team-high 25 points, and showed improved lateral quickness on defense. On Friday, Filipowski will likely match up with Arizona center Oumar Ballo, who will test the physicality of the Blue Devil big man. The 7-foot, 260 pound Ballo will look to overpower Filipowski inside, while Filipowski will likely try to make Ballo uncomfortable on the perimeter.
Controlling the three
In addition to Love, the Wildcats had three other players attempt at least three 3-pointers in their season-opener. As a whole, Arizona went 12-for-27 from deep for an impressive 44.4% rate. Taking away the three will be a focal point for Duke, as it will force the Wildcats to take longer possessions and find other ways to score. Scheyer and the Blue Devils were able to do this effectively against Dartmouth, who they held to four makes from beyond the arc.
“Similar to us, [Arizona] can play bigger, it can play smaller,” Scheyer said. “That's something for tomorrow's game, just the matchups on the court. They have a lot of firepower.”
On the other side of things, Duke will look to capitalize on its own shooting depth. With three guards in the starting lineup, and Filipowski showing an improved long-range shot, the Blue Devils have the potential to field a lineup in which all five players on the court are a threat from deep.
Sharing the ball
In order to take advantage of its dynamic offense, Duke will need to play unselfishly and make smart decisions. Leading this charge will be the sophomore Proctor, who racked up eight assists in just 25 minutes Monday. The Blue Devils saw greater success a year ago after defining Proctor’s role as the lead ball handler, and he appears even more comfortable manning the point this year.
However, the entire offense, not just Proctor, will need to be ready to make plays. Graduate center Ryan Young — who started Monday due to Mitchell’s unavailability — collected three big assists from the block, including a sweet pass off an offensive rebound that led to a Filipowski slam. When Young and other post players get the ball inside Friday, keeping their eyes up to find shooters and cutters will be key.
Staying smart
Friday’s matchup will pit two elite teams against each other, but the game comes so early in the season that neither team can expect to play perfect basketball. Just look at last year’s mistake-ridden Nov. 15 loss against then-No. 6 Kansas, where the two teams combined for 33 turnovers and 34 fouls.
Therefore, Duke will need to work to limit its mental miscues and take advantage when Arizona makes mistakes. Loose balls, clock management and limiting live-ball turnovers are key in any ranked matchup — but they become even more essential early in the year. The Blue Devils have two key advantages in this regard: They return two of their starting guards in Proctor and Roach, and they are playing at home with the Cameron Crazies on their side. Keeping the crowd in the game and playing sound basketball will be paramount as Duke looks to pick up its first big win of the season.
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Dom Fenoglio is a Trinity sophomore and an assistant Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 119th volume.