Duke basketball: 3 X-Factors that will have massive impact on Final Four

The Duke basketball team will need role players to step up in the Final Four. 

Unexpected stars typically always step up and make their presence known in the Final Four, and the Duke basketball team will need that this week in New Orleans in order to win the National Championship.

The Blue Devils dominated Cal State Fullerton in the Round of 64 before needing comeback victories against Michigan State in the Round of 32 and Texas Tech in the Sweet 16 to advance to the Elite Eight.

Duke handled things against Arkansas in the Elite Eight to advance to the 17th Final Four in program history, the 13th under the leadership of head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

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The victory set up arguably the biggest matchup in the history of the Final Four as the Blue Devils will play the North Carolina Tar Heels for the right to advance to Monday’s National Championship against either Villanova or Kansas.

Krzyzewski has seen his three stars, Paolo Banchero, Mark Williams, and Wendell Moore, take the reigns of this team all season and lead the Blue Devils to the position in which they currently find themselves. But Duke will need others to step up and elevate their games in order to become the National Champions for the sixth time in program history.

The trio is averaging 41.9 points per game.

Duke basketball accustomed to new shooting environment

The shooting backdrop is always interesting at the Final Four as the event is played in a football stadium, but that should not be a problem for the Blue Devils.

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Duke made the trip to Syracuse this season to face the Orange, and it was the best shooting performance of the season as the five-time National Champs connected on 15-of-32 3-pointers inside the Carrier Dome.

Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 8:49 p.m. EST inside the Caesars Superdome on TBS.