X-Factor: Duke men's basketball's Jordan Goldwire looks to clamp down the perimeter

Duke looks to stay undefeated in the ACC as it travels to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech. The Blue Zone breaks down a key matchup on the perimeter for Wednesday night's contest:

Duke: Guard Jordan Goldwire

Junior Jordan Goldwire has earned himself consistent playing time this season, averaging 18.4 minutes per game. With his performance, the 6-foot-2 guard has proven to be a key member of the roster. Goldwire posted a solid stat line in the Blue Devils' most recent win against Miami with four assists and no turnovers, and the Georgia native will look to ride that momentum into his home state.

Georgia Tech’s offense poses a threat, so it will be up to Goldwire teaming up with sophomore guard Tre Jones to get Duke the win. Although the duo has been covering the perimeter well together, Goldwire also has some strengths of his own that will be useful for the Blue Devils in this contest. His 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game put him second on the team behind Jones, while his 0.4 turnovers per contest are the lowest on the team for players averaging more than five minutes. These qualities make Goldwire a good sidekick for Jones come game time.

Goldwire has done a solid job on defense as well as passing, but he does have weaknesses when it comes to 3-point shooting. If Goldwire receives pressure from strong defensive figures like the Yellow Jackets' James Banks III and Moses Wright, his 27.8 percent mark from deep will set him back. 

Georgia Tech: Guard Jose Alvarado 

Jose Alvarado has not had the opportunity to play too much this season thus far, appearing in seven games while battling a minor ankle injury. Nevertheless, Alvarado has still managed to shine for his team. The junior leads the Yellow Jackets with 4.4 assists and 2.3 steals per game. In Georgia Tech’s most recent win against North Carolina, Alvarado had a team-high of 25 points to go along with eight assists and six steals. 

The Brooklyn native’s bursting energy on the floor will give him the ability to be a major contributor for his team on offense. However, he may struggle getting shots in the paint and may need to resort to 3-point shooting. Alvarado has shot 27.3 percent from beyond the arc this year, and with a Yellow Jackets team that overall ranks second-to-last in the ACC in 3-point shooting percentage, the guard may lose his usual momentum.