After five wins in nine nights, No. 4 Duke gets back in action Wednesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium with a 5 p.m. tilt against Furman. Before every Blue Devil contest this season, The Chronicle will select a player from each team who could be the critical piece to the puzzle:
Duke: guard Rasheed Sulaimon
Sulaimon has yet to have a breakout game offensively this season, averaging 4.6 points, 1.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. The strong performances of Quinn Cook and freshmen Justise Winslow, Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor have limited Sulaimon’s opportunities to score, but the Houston native has still contributed to the vaunted Blue Devil offense with his ability to break down defenses off the dribble and make passes to open teammates.
During his freshman campaign, Sulaimon showcased the offensive and defensive prowess that made him a top high school recruit. With senior Seth Curry hobbled with shin splints, Sulaimon often filled a key role as Duke's leading backcourt scorer. His quickness and ball-handling skills allowed him to beat defenders off the dribble to score at the rim, draw a foul or deliver an assist to an open teammate. Despite his streakiness, Sulaimon was also a threat from behind the arc.
Last year, however, Sulaimon initially struggled to live up to hype of his freshman season after not entering the campaign in peak physical shape. The 6-foot-5 guard had difficulty adjusting to a new role that allowed Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood to be the new primary scoring options, players that needed the ball in their hands.He was benched for the entirety of Duke’s game against Michigan and lost his starting position to senior Tyler Thornton.
So far in the 2014-15 season, we have seen few glimpses of the efficient and confident Sulaimon from two years ago. But Sulaimon has a new and more resilient attitude. He has the potential to score 18-plus points and dish out multiple assists in any game; we just have to wait and see.
Furman: guard Stephen Croone
Furman will rely on its junior point guard to have a big game against the Blue Devils in order to stay within striking distance. So far, the Covington, Ga., native has averaged 13.5 points and 4 assists in just two games after sitting out the Paladins' season-opener. Last year as a sophomore, Croone demonstrated his ability to put the ball in the basket as he scored 19.1 points per contest. Despite his 6-foot frame, the point guard has incredible jumping ability. He can attack the rim or step back and knock down a 3-pointer.
Croone's ability to get by the Blue Devils with the dribble will be critical to Furman's motion offense against a bigger Duke roster. Furman's other scoring threats, players like forward Kris Acox and fellow guard Daniel Fowler, will rely on Croone to set them up with open looks off of his penetration. If the junior struggles to beat Sulaimon, Cook, or Tyus Jones with a quick first step, the Paladins will struggle to score the ball Wednesday.
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