Following a convincing road victory against Virginia Tech, the Blue Devils play host to another ACC bottom-dweller when Boston College comes to Cameron Indoor Stadium this afternoon. Here are the keys for Duke against the Eagles.
Can the Blue Devils stop Ryan Anderson and Olivier Hanlan?
Boston College put a scare into Duke when the teams squared off Feb. 10 in Chestnut Hill, falling by a 62-61 final and having a shot to win the game as time expired. Anderson scored 17 points on 8-of-14 from the field in just 28 minutes of action despite battling foul trouble throughout the contest, and Hanlan netted a team-high 20 points thanks to an 11-for-12 performance from the free throw line. The atmosphere at Cameron Indoor Stadium will definitely play a factor in this afternoon's contest, but the Blue Devils' ability to key in on the Eagles' top two scorers will ultimately decide whether or not this game will be a close one.
Will Josh Hairston continue his hot streak?
The junior forward has had the best offensive outburst of his Duke career in his last two games, notching 11 points against both Maryland and Boston College, which are just two points off of his career high of 13. Hairston has shown off his improved post moves and mid-range jump shot in the Blue Devils' past two games and has provided some much-needed support down low in the absence of senior forward Ryan Kelly. Although Duke is optimistic that Kelly will return this season, Hairston's improved play will be crucial for the team's success both today and through the rest of the regular season. On the defensive end, Hairston will have his hands full when he matches up with the Eagles' Anderson.
Can Duke repeat its strong performance on the glass?
After being dominated by Maryland on the boards and being outrebounded by a 40-20 margin, it was the Blue Devils who took control on the glass against Virginia Tech, outrebounding the Hokies 34-25. Duke will have another opportunity to win the rebounding battle against a smaller Boston College squad this afternoon, although they were matched by the Eagles 26-26 on the boards in the teams' meeting two weeks ago. After pulling down 12 rebounds against Virginia Tech, Mason Plumlee will hope to record another strong rebounding performance, but the key to the rebounding battle for the Blue Devils will ultimately be the play of Hairston and Amile Jefferson, who will be matched up against smaller defenders this week.
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