Five keys to a Duke basketball victory against Michigan State

Duke basketball Key to Victory No. 1: Disrupt the Michigan State backcourt

Michigan State thrives on its guard play, and Tom Izzo sports veteran players in his backcourt with Foster Loyer, Joshua Langford, and Rocket Watts.

Langford had only played two games since December 29, 2018, after missing the rest of the 2018-19 season with a foot injury and the entirety of the 2019-20 season with the same foot injury.

Through two games, the senior is averaging 9.0 points per game on 40.0 percent shooting from the floor and 3-point range.

Loyer, who became social media famous last season after Tre Jones crossed him over and stepped over him for an and-one, is shooting a scorching 63.6 percent from the field and 60.0 percent from 3-point range, averaging 11.5 points per game for the Spartans.

Watts, a sophomore and future star for the Spartans, is also shooting at an extremely high clip for Michigan State, 42.9 percent from 3-point range, and averaging 7.5 points and 4.5 assists per game.

There will be a large burden on Jordan Goldwire, Jeremy Roach, DJ Steward, and potentially Wendell Moore to try and slow down this potent backcourt of the Michigan State Spartans.