3 keys to Duke basketball’s revenge game at Virginia
By Jack Burgess
Key to a Duke basketball victory at Virginia: Defensive help down low
The Blue Devils had a tough time getting anything to go their way on defense in their last outing against the Cavaliers. As stated earlier, Virginia scored a record-breaking 52 paint points against a Mike Krzyzewski-coached Duke team in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Virginia has good depth in its roster and can rely on most of its players to make an impact in the post. Last time, forward Kadin Shedrick tore apart Duke’s interior defense, going 8-for-8 from the field and scoring 16 points off the bench for the Cavaliers. He provided an excellent boost for Virginia’s offense and was most certainly the X factor in the upset win.
If Duke has any chance of dwindling Virginia’s presence in the paint, then it is essential to draw help and double-team down low. Causing pressure in the interior should force Virginia to kick the basketball out and take mid-range and 3-point shots. This would be the best possible scenario for the Blue Devils because the Cavaliers rank 264th in 3-point percentage at 32.0 percent.