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Blue Devils Head to Virginia for Top 25 ACC Matchup

By Chris Brown

Feb 11, 2017; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Luke Kennard (5) reacts after scoring against the Clemson Tigers in the second half of their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 11, 2017; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Luke Kennard (5) reacts after scoring against the Clemson Tigers in the second half of their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports /
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Duke Basketball will look to keep their conference win streak alive tonight in a tough road game against the Virginia Cavaliers.

The Blue Devils seem to be figuring things out on the court the last few games, but we will know how good this Duke team really can be tonight. Duke will look to win their sixth consecutive game tonight in another Top 25 ACC matchup at Virginia. Here are our three keys to success for Duke Basketball against the Cavaliers:

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1. Offensive Execution

The Virginia Cavaliers are the top defensive team in the NCAA so far this season, allowing only 55.1 points per game. Their pack line pressure man-to-man defense is designed to take away guard drives and dribble penetration. Luckily Duke has the shooters to overcome this, but the ability of Grayson Allen, Luke Kennard, and Frank Jackson to get in the lane to score or drive and kick has been a strength of the offense lately. Duke Basketball is coming off a tough offensive performance in a tight win over Clemson, and it will be up to the players and coaching staff to adjust on offense for a more talented defensive team tonight.

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2. Limit Mistakes

UVA also excels in creating opponent turnovers and translating them into points. The Cavaliers are one of the top teams in the nation in steals and overall turnovers forced per game (13.2). Meanwhile, Duke recently has improved on turning the ball over but still averages 11.8 per game. If Duke is able to protect the ball on offense, then it will give them more opportunities while keeping the Cavaliers from scoring.

3. Stop London Perrantes

Senior point guard London Perrantes has had an outstanding season for the Cavaliers. He is currently in the argument for ACC Player of the Year and is the leader of this UVA team. Perrantes is key to the Virginia offense, leading the team as a scorer (12.6 ppg) and playmaker (3.9 apg). If the Blue Devils are able to focus on the 6-2 guard and stop him defensively, then they will have a better shot of winning if the offense scores.

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Duke will head into a tough road environment to take on Virginia at 9:00 tonight on ESPN2. Every matchup between these two teams since 2014 has gone down to the wire, including Grayson Allen’s buzzer-beater last year, so fans should expect a great game. It will also be key for the ACC regular season title and seeding in the conference tournament. A win would move the Blue Devils  into a tie for second place in the standings with Louisville and FSU and a loss would put them a game behind UVA.

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