Key three: Duke men's basketball vs. Pittsburgh

After two strong wins against tough ACC competition in Wake Forest and Notre Dame, Duke hopes to make it three in a row Saturday when it takes on Pittsburgh at Cameron Indoor Stadium at 1 p.m. Here are three keys to the game for the Blue Devils:

Contain the Panthers’ Scorers

Heading into the matchup, Pittsburgh has the only two ACC players who are averaging more points than Duke sophomore Luke Kennard in seniors Jamel Artis and Michael Young. Artis, who is averaging 20.9 points per game, and Young, who is averaging 20.3 points per game, are both 6-foot-7 or taller and will present a stiff challenge to the Blue Devil frontcourt. Duke's young athletes like Jayson Tatum and Harry Giles will likely be counted on to contain the talented swingmen, and the presence of Amile Jefferson inside has proven to be extremely valuable for the Blue Devils on defense.

Win the Battle on the Boards

Although Duke is third in the ACC in rebounding and the Panthers are 11th, the margin between the two teams is close—the Blue Devils average 38.3 per game, and Pittsburgh averages 36.0. Duke’s size should give it an advantage on the glass, but it will be important for the Blue Devils to play physically from the opening tip. Jefferson is leading Duke in rebounds with 9.3 per game and will have a size advantage on 6-foot-8 senior Sheldon Jeter, who is bringing down 7.5 a game for the Panthers. Rebounding was a struggle for Duke down the stretch in several of its early conference games, so the Blue Devils will try to crash the glass as much as they can Saturday.

Get Grayson Allen Going

Of Duke's 12 scholarship players, Allen has the worst field-goal percentage at 39.6 percent. He has shown in the past that he can be a consistent scorer, but an early turf toe injury and a one-game tripping suspension this season resulted in a step back in the junior guard’s shooting performance. It will be pivotal for the Blue Devils to have their former captain as a reliable offensive weapon for some of their biggest games—including the home matchup with North Carolina Feb. 9—as he can attack the rim effectively to take some pressure off the other scorers like Kennard and Tatum.