No. 18 Duke will take its talents to South Beach and attempt to knock off Miami on its home court, something the Blue Devils failed to do last year. Tip-off is Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the BankUnited Center. Here are the three keys to a Duke victory:
Stay Poised on the Road
Whenever the Blue Devils travel to play at an ACC foe, they know they will be playing in a hostile environment. So far this year, Duke is 0-2 on the road in conference play with losses coming at Notre Dame and at Clemson. With the team’s two best players—Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood—having never experienced a true road game in a Duke uniform before the Notre Dame loss, the Blue Devils did not have much time to get acclimated. Poise is paramount in order to turn the corner at Miami.
Continue to Utilize Their Depth
Early in the last two games—against Virginia and N.C. State—head coach Mike Krzyzewski employed a five-for-five substitution strategy. With an exciting win over a strong Virginia team and a decisive defeat of the Wolfpack, the strategy seems to be paying dividends. It is especially important to continue utilizing the team’s depth against Miami, as Duke must remain fresh for the week ahead which features a home game against Florida State and two road games against Pittsburgh and Syracuse.
Force Miami to Play Inside-Out
In order to exploit Miami’s weaknesses, Duke must protect the lane and make the Hurricanes drive and kick. Miami averages nearly 11 turnovers a game, with just a 1.1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and shoots only 31.9 percent from beyond the arc. Forcing Miami to play inside-out will result in Hurricane turnovers and missed 3-pointers.
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