Duke needs to utilize their size advantage and dominate off the glass.
The Blue Devils must find the open man outside the perimeter.
While a big part of Duke’s strategy is for Parker and Hood to exploit mismatches and drive towards the basket, Davidson’s defense will most likely adjust by bringing another defender into to prevent the inside penetration. Therefore, there should be an open Duke player beyond the arc to nail down an uncontested three-pointer. In exhibition play, the Blue Devils averaged 26 three-points per game but only completed 25 percent of those shots, a statistic that must improve if teams move to double-team Parker or Hood. Guards such as Quinn Cook and Tyler Thornton should be in for a big day from behind the arc if they can knock down their threes.
Duke must stop Davidson’s outside shooting.
Last year, the Wildcats averaged 7.5 made three-pointers a game, attempting 217 more 3-pointers than opponents and shooting 36.9 percent from beyond the arc throughout the course of the season. Based on their exhibition performance against Lenoir-Rhyne in which Davidson drilled 14-of-33 3-pointers, outside shooting is still a major part of the Wildcats’ gameplan. While the Blue Devils will be doing what they can to contain senior forward De’Mon Brooks, the Southern Conference preseason player of the year, they still need to shut down Davidson’s lethal ability from long range.
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