The key three: Duke basketball vs. Pittsburgh

After winning only one of their last three games, the No. 5 Blue Devils are back in action Monday at 7 p.m. at Cameron Indoor Stadium Monday against Pittsburgh at 7 p.m. looking to start a new home winning streak. Stronger defense and better ball movement helped lift Duke over then-No. 6 Louisville on the road, and they are looking to replicate that success against the Panthers. Here are three keys to the game that could put head coach Mike Krzyzewski within one victory of his 1,000th career win:

Convert at the free-throw line

The Blue Devils haven't had a lot of success on the offensive end so far in ACC play, especially from the perimeter. Getting to the charity stripe could therefore be a way for Duke to take the lid off the basket and find a rhythm. As a team, Duke shoots 69.6 percent from the free-throw line, knocking down 17-of-23 attempts on the road in Louisville Saturday. If the Blue Devils get to the line more than 25 times Monday against Pittsburgh, it means they will be playing assertively, rather than settling for 3-point shots.

Communicate on defense

As has been well-chronicled, Duke switched up its defensive look Saturday, using a 2-3 zone to keep Louisville's guards out of the paint. As a result, the Cardinals got some good looks from beyond the arc, but just couldn't capitalize. Pittsburgh is another team that has struggled to shoot from the outside so far this season, meaning the zone could come out again Monday. When playing a zone—especially if its a relatively new or little-practiced scheme—communication is critical. If the Blue Devils fail to do so, the Panthers might be able to knock down some open shots. Talking will also be important on the glass, as rebounding out of a zone is more difficult than out of a man-to-man scheme.

Use the home-court advantage

Miami silenced the Cameron Crazies with prolific shooting and the outstanding guard play of Angel Rodriguez and Manu Lecomte, snapping the nation's longest home-court winning streak. The Blue Devils will look to start another streak Monday at home, but will need to feed off of the energy provided by a raucous student section as Pittsburgh makes its first trip to Durham as a member of the ACC. Duke's offense certainly enjoys the friendly confines of Cameron Indoor Stadium, averaging 90.2 points per game at home compared to just 72.8 at all other venues.

Led by grizzled veterans Cameron Wright and James Robinson in the backcourt, the Panthers likely will not just roll over against a highly-ranked opponent. Head coach Jamie Dixon's squad is known for its toughness, so the Blue Devils will need to keep their energy up throughout the game if they want to build on Saturday's win.