No. 14 Duke will host Virginia Tech Saturday at noon in its home opener looking to stay undefeated in conference play. Both teams enter the contest coming off of impressive victories as the Blue Devils topped Wake Forest with guards Matt Jones and Grayson Allen in foul trouble, while the Hokies upset No. 4 Virginia 70-68 Monday.
Get Matt Jones going
The junior is coming off a game in which he recorded a season-low two points on just 1-of-8 shooting after averaging 18 points in his previous five games. Although the guard's poor showing is most likely just a bump in an otherwise outstanding season, Duke will benefit from going back to its captain on offense.
With the extra attention that guard Grayson Allen and forward Brandon Ingram have drawn, as well as the recent scoring outburst from freshman Luke Kennard, the value of Jones as another perimeter weapon should not be forgotten. The DeSoto, Texas, native enters the contest fourth in the ACC with 2.6 made three-pointers per game and has shot 42 percent from beyond the arc. If the Blue Devils can get Jones back on track Saturday, the team will only improve an already efficient offense.
Avoid turnovers
In their upset win against the Cavaliers, Virginia Tech turned 16 Virginia turnovers into 26 points that helped fuel the team's offense. The Hokies may be hard pressed to have the same success Saturday as the Blue Devils rank among the best in the nation with turnovers on only 14 percent of their possessions.
Although Duke leads the country in adjusted offensive efficiency, the team has occasionally struggled with turnovers, such as its 16-turnover performance a week ago against Boston College. If Virginia Tech can put enough pressure on the Blue Devil ball-handlers and make plays in the passing lane, the team may be able to get easy baskets and prevent Duke from getting good looks itself.
Beware of the transfers
A year ago, the Blue Devils got everything they could handle from the Hokies on the road and came away with a hard-fought 91-86 overtime victory. But come Saturday, Virginia Tech's biggest contributors may be new faces. The Hokies are led in scoring by South Florida-transfer Zach LeDay and Maryland-transfer Seth Allen, who average 14.7 and 14.5 points per game, respectively.
LeDay figures to be a matchup nightmare for Duke as he has the speed to get past center Marshall Plumlee but the size to score against any of the Blue Devil guards. If the forward can hit his perimeter shot and bring Plumlee away from the hoop, the Hokies may have the advantage on the glass. With Seth Allen potentially shutting down one of Duke's perimeter options, the Blue Devils could have their hands full if they struggle to stop Virginia Tech's transfers.
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