No. 4 Duke (25-3, 12-3 in the ACC) welcomes Syracuse (18-10, 9-6) to Cameron Indoor Stadium for the second time since its introduction to the ACC. The contest tips off Saturday at 7 p.m. with the Orange seeking revenge from its earlier season loss to the Blue Devils Feb. 14, as well as last season's loss in Cameron featuring head coach Jim Boeheim's ejection from the game. Before every game this season, the Blue Zone will select a player on both teams that could make a difference for their respective squads.
Duke: forward Justise Winslow
Winslow not only made big plays in the first matchup between the two teams, but is also fresh off a pair of impressive performances against Clemson and Virginia Tech and has scored in double figures in nine straight games, the longest such streak of his career. The freshman shot 57 percent or better in each of his last three outings and has the ability to control tempo after pulling down rebounds, which is why his 8.5 rebounds per game average his last four contests has been so crucial. But in addition to helping the Blue Devils get out and run before Syracuse sets up its vaunted 2-3 zone, Winslow will be a key play-maker at the high post in the zone.
The 6-foot-6, 225-pound swingman has played more and more at the four as the season has progressed, and will look to be as effective making plays in the middle of the zone as he was when Duke won at the Carrier Dome two weeks ago. In the second half of that game, the Blue Devils almost exclusively played small ball with their third-best assist man playing inside and out and the switch paid off.
The question Saturday night will be whether or not Winslow can continue making plays and avoid foul trouble against a long Orange front-line. The Houston native fouled out last time the teams met and has fouled out in three of his last five games. If he is forced to the bench for long periods Saturday, Syracuse could see Amile Jefferson or Marshall Plumlee at the high post—those are matchups the Orange want to see.
Syracuse: forward Michael Gbinije
Gbinije played the best game of his career against Duke in the teams' first battle and will look to duplicate the performance against his former team. The redshirt junior transfer was on fire in the first half, hitting five 3-pointers to give the Orange control in the opening period and finishing with 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting. The 6-foot-7 small forward has struggled shooting since his explosion against the Blue Devils, going just 6-of-17 in his past two games, but is quietly enjoying an All-ACC caliber season.
Gbinije is second on the team in assists, field goal percentage and steals per game, is its best 3-point shooter by more than 10 percentage points and still averages 5.0 rebounds per contest on the back line of Syracuse's zone. Head coach Jim Boeheim said after Duke won the first matchup he could not ask his third-leading scorer to do much more than he has been in ACC play—after being a non-factor last year, Gbinije has scored almost 16 points per game in league games and scored in double figures in all but one game.
With the Blue Devils likely counting on senior Quinn Cook to slow down Gbinije so others can focus on containing Rakeem Christmas down low and sharpshooter Trevor Cooney, Gbinije's play-making will once again be a huge factor Saturday night. As is the case with Winslow and Duke, the Orange find another gear when their swingman starts firing on all cylinders.
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