Duke basketball: Five keys to victory in massive matchup against Illinois

Duke basketball Key to Victory No. 3 – Jalen Johnson must stay out of foul trouble

When on the floor, Jalen Johnson has been outstanding in his first three games in Durham.

The only issue with the five-star freshman is his ability to remain out of foul trouble.

In Duke’s last two games against Michigan State and Bellarmine, the 6-foot-9 wing had to exit early in the first half because of foul trouble, causing the Duke offense to stall.

Johnson’s foul issues flipped the momentum in the loss to the Spartans and allowed the Knights to creep back closer in the first half instead of Duke pulling away in a route.

Jalen Johnson is the undisputed best player for the Blue Devils, and he must remain on the floor if Duke wants to have a chance to knock off Illinois on Tuesday.