The Duke basketball team faces a quick turnaround from their loss on Saturday against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish tonight against the Syracuse Orange at 7 PM ET. Duke is on a two game losing streak and is trying to avoid something a Blue Devils’ team has not done in eight years. Syracuse has had a tumultuous season with distractions coming from the nine-game suspension Jim Boeheim had to serve stemming from NCAA violations. Since coming back, Syracuse has gone 2-1 with a loss to North Carolina and two wins against Boston College and Wake Forest. Trevor Cooney is the guy to keep an eye on for the Orange as he can run very hot and cold. Cooney had 27 points in the loss against the Tar Heels and followed that up with a 5 point effort against Boston College. Against Wake Forest, Cooney put in another 27. Former Duke player, Michael Gbinije leads Syracuse in scoring with over 17 a game. Here are some keys to tonight’s game.
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1. Can Duke score effectively facing the Cuse zone?
As any college basketball fan knows, Jim Boeheim runs his patented 2-3 zone to perfection. But Duke has the penetrators as well as the shooters to make any zone break. The combo of Luke Kennard, who has been lights out lately, Grayson Allen and Brandon Ingram should be able to put up points at a high clip. Duke has seen zones this entire season for certain periods throughout games. Some teams will throw a zone at Duke when it is clear that Kennard, Ingram and Allen will not be contained by their individual matchups. But Duke has not seen a zone of this caliber for an entire 40 minute game. Patience will be the key as it always is in attacking a zone.
2. Can Duke rebound without Amile Jefferson?
It was apparent in the games against Clemson and Notre Dame that Amile Jefferson is just as important a piece on this team then anyone else. Fans forget that Jefferson was averaging a double-double before he was injured more than a month ago. Without him, Duke has been forced to play Brandon Ingram more at the power forward position. This has given Duke a dynamic look on the offensive end but a unsatisfying look on the defensive end. Ingram has the length to play the four position but he still lacks strength. He has also been more susceptible to foul trouble guarding guys in the post. With so little depth without Jefferson, Duke cannot afford for Ingram to be in foul trouble.
The onus ultimately falls on Marshall Plumlee to raise his game. He is big enough and strong enough to average double-digit boards a game. But rebounding is also a team effort. Every single player from the point guard to the center has to crash the boards when one of the best rebounders in the country is out.
Prediction – Duke 78 – Syracuse 74
This ACC season has been anything but predictable. Duke could easily lose this game. Syracuse is a well-coached team with long, athletic talent. But losing back to back games in Cameron is something that I do not foresee. Watch for Allen, Kennard and Ingram to all have big games once again.