Three factors that led to Duke basketball’s loss against Michigan State

Three facets of the game decided Duke basketball’s fate vs. Michigan State.

The 2020-21 Duke basketball team is now 1-1 on this young season, and the Blue Devils haven’t exactly looked impressive to date. On Saturday afternoon, they won a sloppy game at home against Coppin State, 81-71, and then they once again struggled in Cameron Indoor Stadium against a good Michigan State team on Tuesday night, leading to an ugly 75-69 loss.

For all the Duke basketball fans out there who are worried, just relax. This is a very young team that is still figuring things out. Younger teams are especially at a disadvantage this year given the unique circumstances. Roles are still being defined and rotations are still being figured out.

Duke has definitely shown its youth so far in the first two games. The Blue Devils do not have much chemistry on the offensive end, and defensively, they lack rim protection and communication.

The good thing is that it is only December. There are no awards for being a great team early in the regular season. This year’s Duke team is certainly a work in progress. This is a team that could struggle early in the year but as the season moves forward, could easily become one of the best teams in the country.

The Blue Devils fought hard against Michigan State but ultimately did not do enough to get the victory. Here are three factors that led to Duke suffering its first loss of the season…