Game Preview: Duke Blue Devils vs Miami Hurricanes

Duke travels to Miami for a Monday night game.

Duke travels Monday to Coral Gables to battle the 13-3 Miami Hurricanes. Duke fans are well aware that the Hurricanes are always a dangerous out for Coach K and Duke with the last ten games resulting in a 5-5 record. Duke has not had a good go of it on the road this season dropping their first 2 ACC road games before winning their first against Pitt. Miami comes in having lost their last game to Clemson with both teams ranked in the top 25 dropping Miami to a 2-2 record in the ACC. Led by sophomore guard Dewan Huell who averages a team high 13.6 points per game and also 6.6 rebounds per contest ranking him 3rd on the team in that category. The Hurricanes employ a 4 guard lineup surrounding Huell with senior Ja'Quan Newton who averages just under 9 points a game, Lonnie Walker IV who averages 8.2 points a game and 2.8 assists, Anthony Lawrence II who pulls down 6.7 rebounds to go with his 8.3 points a game and Bruce Brown Jr. who leads the team in assists at 3.9 a game to go with his 11.3 points per contest.

The Hurricanes are not a high scoring team but they don't have to be, they are only giving up 60.7 points a game this season ranking them 4th in the ACC. That doesn't mean they don't have the firepower to go toe-to-toe with the Blue Devils, especially considering Duke's weaknesses in perimeter defense which seems to have become a perennial issue since the one and done era. Miami is not a great 3-point shooting team but that stat tends to trend upward when Duke comes to town, Duke guards will have to do a much better job of both containing the dribble and chasing the shooters off of the line. Duke should have the advantage in the paint and Duke will look to maximize points in the paint as well as flexing their muscle on the boards as Miami is not a very good rebounding squad.

There are still a few variables that could swing this game decidedly in the Hurricanes favor. Still uncertain are the statuses of sophomore key reserves Marques Bolden and Javin DeLaurier, both have missed the last couple of games leaving Duke shorthanded in the middle. Coach K also missed the last game with the flu, his status as of Sunday is still unknown.

Duke remains a team dominated by freshmen numbers with Marvin Bagley III leading the team in both points per game and rebounds at 22.5 and 11.7. Grayson Allen despite slumping as of late did haul in 12 rebounds against Wake Forest and is averaging 15.6 points and 4.5 assists per game. Wendell Carter Jr is about a rebound shy of averaging a double-double at 13.4 points and 8.8 boards per game. Gary Trent Jr. is shooting at a 39% clip from beyond the arc and averaging 13.4 points a game and Trevon Duval rounds out the starting lineup averaging 12.2 points and 6.2 assists per game. The Hurricanes, under Jim Larranaga, have always been adept at exploiting the Duke's weaknesses and if Duke has not shored up their defensive woes it could be a very long night against a strong Miami team.

For Duke to be Successful they need to:

• Own the paint, both in rebounding and scoring
• Chase Miami guards off of the 3-point line
• Withstand the whuppin' - a phrase coined by Johnny Dawkins. Duke needs to withstand the Miami run, there will be a run, and go about their business and play with poise.
• Move the ball around offensively, play through Bagley but keep the guards both active and re-locating.
• Shot selection, knowing time and circumstance when choosing what shots to take.