Duke Basketball: Blue Devils hosting Virginia in clash of Top-5 teams

The Duke Basketball team will host the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday evening in a Top-5 matchup in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The No. 1 Duke Blue Devils will host the No. 4 Virginia Cavaliers in one of the most anticipated college basketball games of the regular season.

The Blue Devils are coming off a loss on Monday at home to the Syracuse Orange in which freshman Cam Reddish did not play because of an illness and freshman Tre Jones left after six minutes due to a shoulder injury.

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Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski said that Reddish will play on Saturday against the Cavaliers, but although Jones’ injury looked serious, in an interview with The Athletic, Coach K said that Jones would be back “sooner rather than later”.

Krzyzewski did not rule Jones out for Saturday against Virginia, but did say it was unlikely that he would play.

As for Virginia, the Cavaliers are 16-0 and the No. 4 team in the country and one of the best offensive and defensive team in the country.

Virginia Head Coach Tony Bennett will go about seven players deep into his bench, but the Cavaliers are led by the three headed monster of Kyle Guy, De’Andre Hunter, and Ty Jerome.

The trio averages a combined 42.9 points per game, as the Cavaliers averages 74 points per game as a team. The “worst” shooter in the trio would be Ty Jerome, shooting 42.7% from the floor and 41.2% from 3-point range.

If Tre Jones does not play for the Blue Devils, the major question will be how can Duke get out in transition and beat this stifling Virginia defense down the floor for some easy baskets.

The Cavaliers play at a very deliberate pace and are hounding on defense, constantly forcing its opponents to turn the basketball over and into tough shots.

If Jones does not play, the pressure will be on R.J. Barrett, Zion Williamson, and Cam Reddish to carry the scoring load and be much more efficient than previous games this evening.

Duke will need production from some of the role players tonight. Jack White cannot miss all ten of his shots again tonight and Alex O’Connell is going to need to provide some good minutes off the bench both offensively and defensively, which he struggled with on Monday against Syracuse.

A No. 1 team has never lost twice at home in a week and that is what the Blue Devils are facing tonight against Virginia.

If Tre Jones was playing, I would feel much more confident in a Blue Devils victory, but without Jones, this becomes much more of a toss up game.

The Cameron Crazies will be ready to go and R.J. Barrett and Zion Williamson will have a look of determination in their eyes and the dynamic duo will carry the Blue Devils to victory.

PREDICTION: Duke 72, Virginia 65

Stay tuned to Ball Durham on Twitter, @Ball_Durham, and here at our website, balldurham.com, for complete coverage of the Duke Blue Devils vs. the Virginia Cavaliers.

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