Key Three: Duke basketball vs Georgia Southern

After an extended break, the seventh-ranked Blue Devils return to the hardwood Tuesday to take on Georgia Southern in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke (8-1) heads into the game riding a six-game win streak, while the Eagles (3-4) travel to Durham looking for their first win against a ranked opponent since 1976. Here are the three keys to Tuesday’s game:

Luke Kennard awakens: Kennard has caught fire as of late, averaging 12.3 points and shooting 42.1 percent from beyond the arc in the Blue Devils’ last four games. But the Franklin, Ohio, native still has plenty of room for improvement and it starts by taking better shots on the floor. 

Kennard could significantly improve his field-goal percentage by being more aggressive with the ball and finding ways to drive to the basket rather than settle for the perimeter jump shot. Tuesday’s matchup provides the perfect opportunity to do so as the 6-foot-5 guard will matchup favorably against the smaller Georgia Southern backcourt. If Kennard can get accustomed to going to the basket early in the contest, the floor will open up on the perimeter for the freshman and his teammates. 

Someone steps in for the captain: Duke announced Monday that senior Amile Jefferson is out indefinitely after injuring his foot. As one of the Blue Devils’ three captains, Jefferson will be sorely missed by his teammates, and his injury will leave Duke without one of it’s most vocal on-court leaders. But in the time being, the Blue Devils must find a way to replace the Philadelphia native’s 11.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

Although it will most likely require multiple players stepping up on a consistent basis to make up the production Jefferson generated each night, the lion’s share of that responsibility will fall on the shoulders of freshman forward Chase Jeter. In his seven game appearances so far, Jeter has averaged a measly 2.7 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor. But, the Las Vegas native has been limited by his playing time, mostly providing relief minutes off the bench. With Jefferson watching from the sideline, look to the freshman to receive big minutes against Georgia Southern and future opponents.

Duke defends the perimeter: The Eagles love to shoot the three-ball, and they have the personnel to make perimeter shooting a core piece of their game. Five Georgia Southern guards enter Tuesday’s game shooting 34.8 percent or better from beyond the arc. Of the Eagles' starters, freshman Ike Smith and sophomore Mike Hughes are the most potent weapons from deep.

The Eagles will be extra dependent on their backcourt Tuesday as without a player above 6-foot-8 they will have trouble battling in the paint with Duke’s bigs. The Blue Devils will need to be active along the perimeter to prevent any of the Georgia Southern’s versatile guards from heating up and risk burning the Duke in its first game since final exams.