The key three: Duke basketball vs. Miami

After losing its first game of the season Sunday at N.C. State, No. 4 Duke returns home to host Miami Tuesday at 9 p.m. at Cameron Indoor Stadium seeking to get back in the win column ahead of a showdown at No. 6 Louisville Saturday:

Fix defensive rotation and close out on shooters

Many things went wrong for the Blue Devils Sunday against N.C. State, but their defensive breakdowns were their most glaring errors. Duke's errors led to N.C. State getting in a rhythm then heating up from outside; the Wolfpack ended up shooting 55.0 percent from the field, including 62.5 percent from downtown and put up 87 points. The Blue Devils will need to improve their communication and rotations because as N.C. State showed, Duke cannot just count on freshman center Jahlil Okafor to erase shots at the rim to be a great defensive team.

Limit Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan

This goes hand-in-hand with locking in on defense. Okafor and company have done a relatively good job forcing difficult shots down low this season, but Duke has struggled to defend talented guards throughout the season. Trevor Lacey and Ralston Turner combined to score 37 between them as the Blue Devil backcourt could do little to get the duo out of rhythm. Thus, it is crucial for Duke to shut down 5-11 point guard Angel Rodriguez, who is one of the Hurricanes’ leading scorers with 14.3 points per contest.

The Kansas State transfer also tends to rise to the occasion when it matters most, as seen by the 25 points he scored earlier this month when Miami took then-No. 3 Virginia to double overtime. Miami’s upset-hungry mentality is fueled by Rodriguez, and the Blue Devils need to do their best to keep him from getting going early. His partner in crime in the backcourt, Sheldon McClellan, leads the team in scoring with 15.4 points per contest, so once again Duke's perimeter defense will be tested early and often.

Keep composure for 40 minutes

Fans around the country were reminded of Duke’s youth when the freshman-laden team began playing with increased levels of panic as the N.C. State game reached its crucial stages. The Blue Devils settled for 27 3-pointers and did not take advantage when the Wolfpack were vulnerable after doubling Okafor because they got sped up by N.C. State's tempo and their own defensive breakdowns. Against another team that is capable of heating up from long range and averages more than eight triples per contest, Duke must remain patient and stick to the game plan for 40 minutes in the friendly confines of Cameron Indoor Stadium.