Duke basketball: 5 keys to have a magical March run

Duke basketball keys to magical March: 

Paolo Banchero’s Defense

Paolo Banchero is a stud for Duke.

There’s no denying that.

But if there is anything about his game that can be exploited on a consistent basis, it is his defense.

Teams are going to try to attack Banchero this postseason. It helps that he will have the Defensive Player of the Year in the conference behind him to cover for his mistakes. But the All-ACC First Team member has to show he can defend ball screens and isolations much better than he has in the regular season.

Saturday’s game against North Carolina is a perfect example. The Tar Heels were able to use screens to get Armando Bacot and Brady Manek free to explode in the second half.

Duke will need to communicate better on the defensive end, but if Banchero can elevate his defensive game, the Blue Devils will emerge as a legit National Championship contender.