The No. 18 Blue Devils take on the Florida State Seminoles at noon in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Before every game, we’ll break down a player on each team who could be the difference-maker in the upcoming contest.
Duke: guard Quinn Cook
Quinn Cook has not been himself of late. His offensive production has been slightly lacking ever since Duke’s win against Georgia Tech, in which he scored 13 points, and even more importantly, his assist numbers have been on the decline. In the last three games, the junior has only recorded nine total assists. In order for Duke to have continued success this season, Quinn Cook needs to be the player he was against Michigan and Notre Dame and, as the point guard, must make everyone else’s job easier. Saturday’s game marks a chance for Cook to return to top form. It also means that Cook is likely to be matched up against one of the ACC’s best scoring point guards in Ian Miller.
Florida State: forward Aaron Thomas
Aaron Thomas is a versatile wingman with the ability to get to the rim and shoot the deep ball. Coming off a 20-point effort in the team’s 76-74 win over Notre Dame, Thomas has shot 50.3 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from beyond the arc this season. It is essential that Coach Leonard Hamilton and Thomas’ teammates ensure that he gets his fair share of shots for the Seminoles to contend in Cameron. The 6-foot-5 sophomore will likely be tasked with guarding either Rodney Hood or Jabari Parker. Thus, his ability to force his man to become a distributer rather than a scorer is paramount for the Seminoles’ success.
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