In a matchup showcasing the last two national champions and the only undefeated team in the country, Part 1 of the 2003 Duke vs. Maryland rivalry will certainly have college basketball's attention Saturday afternoon.
After an 81-72 loss to Wake Forest Wednesday night, the Terrapins (9-4, 2-1 in the ACC) will have to bounce back quickly to face a deep Blue Devil team that has recently survived several close games.
"I think we've played really hard," Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said after a 104-93 win over Virginia. "We've had to do things under pressure...Those experiences are great, especially if you can win."
Duke's (12-0, 3-0) bench will once again be the focus of their opponent's game plan, as the inside rotation of Nick Horvath, Shavlik Randolph, Casey Sanders and Shelden Williams has produced as a committee this season. Maryland's main inside attack features senior Ryan Randle and senior Tahj Holden, two big men who are stronger than any of the Blue Devils who will be guarding them.
The X-factor in Saturday's game could be a combination of Terrapin freshman Travis Garrison and junior forward Jamar Smith. The pair of players add depth in Maryland's frontcourt to match Duke, and they should be able to exploit the Blue Devils interior similarly to the performance of Travis Watson and Elton Brown of Virginia.
"To me they are pretty much the same formula, they have really four big guys there," Krzyzewski said. "The last few years they've had great depth in the front court. They always seem to be fresh."
The front court will play a decisive role in the outcome of the ball game, but much emphasis should be placed on the backcourt of both teams. Over the past few years Steve Blake and Chris Duhon's mentor, Jason Williams, have had many battles, each one having their moments. Now it is time for Duhon to step out of the shadow and be the leader for his Blue Devil team in a hostile environment.
"Chris has had a lot of demands on him," Krzyzewski said. "It's not an easy team to lead, although they're unbelievably cooperative...He has the most to do out there-by far."
Blake, also team captain, leads his Terrapins from the point of attack on offense and hits timely shots down the stretch. His past defense against Williams was more than adequate and since Duhon averages less than 10 points a game, it is unlikely the Duke point guard will bust out with an enormous game in the scoring department.
"It's a huge game for us," Blake said after the loss to Wake Forest. "Another huge game for us and we better be ready."
The battle between point guards to set the tempo of the contest could be the key factor Saturday. Duke will undoubtedly try and push the ball up and down the court to beat Maryland's slower front court for easy layups.
If Blake can contain Duhon, the NCAA leader in assists, from breaking free into open space and feeding his teammates for easy scores, the Terrapins will have the upper hand from the start.
On the wings, Dahntay Jones, Duke's top defender, will have the task of stymieing Drew Nicholas, who comes in averaging just under 19 points a game for the Terps. Although Jones' perimeter shooting has improved lately, his best offensive weapon against Nicholas could be his strength inside and slashing ability. The outside game for both squads will be crucial and Krzyzewski is well aware of the importance of his guards.
"They're not just a consistent lineup, they're our base," Krzyzewski said. "If they're playing well, we're pretty good. If they drop off a little bit, we drop off."
Despite all the matchups that will unfold on the court Saturday, no one can be sure of the outcome until the clock reads all zeros, just ask Steve Blake what happened two years ago when the Blue Devils came back from 10 points down in 54 seconds to win the game.
Such was the game that marked Duke-Maryland as the premier rivalry in college basketball today.
In any given game, either team can come out on top because of intangibles. Either way, two teams will have a great test Saturday; Duke's freshman will have their first game against Maryland in the friendly confines of the new Comcast Center and the Terrapins will see how they react against the only undefeated team in the land.
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