Three storylines to watch for when Duke basketball hosts Michigan State

Duke basketball vs. Michigan State: Will we see any big men in this game?

In all the college basketball I have watched so far this season, it is clear that practically every team is committed to smaller lineups. I have hardly seen any team play multiple bigs at the same time. And I would expect to see a lot of small-ball in tonight’s matchup between the Blue Devils and Spartans.

Both teams are still sorting out their frontcourts and figuring out which big guys get minutes. In Duke’s opener, we saw very little of Mark Williams and Henry Coleman, and we saw none of Patrick Tapé.

Matthew Hurt saw most of his action at the five-spot. With Hurt at the center position, the Blue Devils have much better spacing on offense. This creates driving lanes for the guards, and that results in a much more free-flowing offense altogether.

The problem is that the smaller lineup leaves Duke susceptible to dribble-drive penetration and easy shots around the basket. With no shot-blocking presence, it is much easier for opponents to get all the way to the rim. Limiting penetration and second-chance opportunities will be key for the Blue Devils in this game.

I would expect to see both teams go with smaller lineups.

Hurt and Duke basketball’s star freshman forward, Jalen Johnson, will likely play most of the minutes at the four and five. Michigan State will likely go small as well with Gabe Brown, Joey Hauser, and Malik Hall getting most of the minutes in the frontcourt.

Expect to see a fast-paced game with both sides looking to run in transition at every available opportunity. Both teams are built to run and use their speed and athleticism to generate offense.

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