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Duke-Louisville Rematch in ACC Quarterfinals

By Chris Brown

Jan 14, 2017; Louisville, KY, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Frank Jackson (15) dribbles against Louisville Cardinals guard Tony Hicks (1) during the first half at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2017; Louisville, KY, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Frank Jackson (15) dribbles against Louisville Cardinals guard Tony Hicks (1) during the first half at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports /
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Duke Basketball advanced to the ACC Tournament quarterfinals after defeating Clemson, and are set for a rematch with the Louisville Cardinals this afternoon.

The Blue Devils earned a 79-72 win in their ACC Tournament opener to advance to the quarterfinals against the Louisville Cardinals. Duke lost to UL during the regular season, but there will be several key differences this time to make this matchup one to watch.

Next: Three Blue Devils Earn All-ACC Honors

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    • Duke lost 78-69 to Louisville during their only regular season contest. However, that game was held in a hostile environment at Louisville. Today’s matchup will be at a neutral site, and will probably be mostly Duke fans with Syracuse ousted. At that time it was also their second straight road game against a Top 10 opponent, losing at Florida State in the game before.

    Additionally, the Blue Devils did not have senior forward Amile Jefferson in the lineup during the regular season vs. the Cardinals, and he will make a huge impact for Duke today. Louisville is one of the tallest teams in the country, and Jefferson’s presence will help them greatly improve defensively and provide a post option on offense. Probably the most significant difference is that Duke will have their Hall of Fame head coach back. Krzyzewski missed the regular season game while recovering from back surgery.

    The key for Duke in this game will be defense, rebounding, and limiting Quentin Snyder and All-ACC guard Donovan Mitchell. Also, the Blue Devils were pretty much led exclusively by starters in their last game, with Frank Jackson, Luke Kennard, and Jayson Tatum scoring 20 points each while Harry Giles scored two off the bench. Jefferson was also a major factor recording a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.

    Grayson Allen led the Blue Devils in the regular season game with 23 points, but he is clearly not healthy and has been struggling lately compiling 0 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound, and 3 fouls against Clemson. Duke Basketball will need Kennard and Tatum to step up again and Frank Jackson to continue his excellent play.

    Next: Can Duke Win the 2017 NCAA Title?

    Duke and Louisville is scheduled to tip-off at 2:00 pm and will be televised nationally on ESPN. The winner will advance to the semifinals for a chance to face the winner of UNC and Miami.

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