Just days after getting back to Durham from its first games outside of Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke’s early-season schedule doesn’t get any easier.
After two hard-fought victories over Arizona State and Connecticut last week to win the NIT Season Tip-Off, the Blue Devils head to Madison, Wisc. where they will face Wisconsin (4-1) tonight at 9:15 p.m. in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
Duke (6-0) is a perfect 10-0 in the Challenge and isn’t prepared to let its unblemished record slip away this year.
“We definitely don’t want to lose and when it comes to going on the road to do it, it definitely gets very serious,” junior Nolan Smith said, “It’s going to be a hostile environment…. [The coaches] definitely take it to another level for this game.”
The No. 6 Blue Devils defeated Wisconsin two years ago, 82-58, in the Challenge, but are not sitting back and expecting another easy victory.
“They have some guys in their starting lineup who were in that game two years ago,” senior Lance Thomas said. “We know those guys didn’t forget how we won last game so we have to come out there and not let last game relax us.”
Thomas is coming off his first career double-double in the win over Connecticut and is looking to keep his strong play going against the Badgers’ inside presence.
“That’s how I play in practice,” Thomas said of his performance against Connecticut. “It’s just a matter of transitioning it to the game… That’s the story of my career: me being the most wiry guy on the court and going up against a monster. I’m ready for it. [The] younger guys will be ready for it by following my lead. It comes down to just being tough. I’m not backing down from any one of those guys and I’m not letting my teammates do it, either.”
Wisconsin traditionally relies on strong post players for its scoring, and this year is no different. Led by juniors Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil down low, the Badgers possess a formidable front line that will test Duke’s revamped inside game. Leuer enters the game averaging 13.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest while Nankivil tacks on 8.4 points and 6.4 rebounds.
In the win over UConn, Duke struggled shooting the ball, making just 29.6 percent of its shots and getting only six points from preseason All-American Kyle Singler, but the Blue Devils still won easily thanks to their strong defense.
“We have guys that embrace getting stops,” Thomas said, “Defense is how we’re going to win big.”
Seniors Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon lead Wisconsin at the guard positions, scoring 14.2 and 11.2 points per game, respectively. The Badgers enter Wednesday’s contest after a third-place finish in the Maui Invitational, where they defeated both Arizona and Maryland and lost to a strong Gonzaga team.
While Ryan Kelly and Andre Dawkins each got their first taste of a big game in Madison Square Garden, fellow freshman Mason Plumlee had to sit on the bench with his fractured wrist. After participating in full practice Tuesday, Duke hopes that Plumlee will be ready for action come game time tonight, and he is expected to dress for the matchup with the Badgers. All three freshmen will be entering their first college away game and the most hostile environment they have faced thus far. Kelly, Dawkins and Plumlee don’t have to look very far for leadership, though, as Thomas is ready with advice.
“I’ll tell them to follow my lead,” he said. “Just look at how we’re playing out there. Don’t be affected by any of that stuff. Don’t be affected by the crowd.”
Duke walks into the Kohl Center after two strong victories and with another chance to send a message to the rest of college basketball that the Blue Devils are no longer just a 3-point shooting team. They play defense, attack the offensive glass and rack up points in the paint. As Nolan Smith said, “No more calling Duke soft.”
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