Duke men's basketball is facing Boston College for the second time this season Saturday afternoon. The Blue Zone looks back on the last matchup and previews the upcoming showdown:
Then:
Runs on runs on runs
In their first matchup, the Blue Devils rode waves of runs to their win against the Eagles. Of their offensive spurts, the most notable was an 11-0 run midway through the second half. In this stretch, a blend of good defensive stops and a variety of buckets helped Duke cruise past Boston College.
Freshmen firepower
Forward Mark Mitchell was the star of the contest with 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field. He wasn’t the only one that had a stellar performance, though: Fellow freshman Kyle Filipowski joined in and logged an impressive 13 points and 10 rebounds. With an added 23 points from the trio of Dereck Lively II, Dariq Whitehead and Tyrese Proctor, the freshmen seized control.
Bench depth
That isn’t to say that the team’s veterans didn’t join in on the fun. Off the bench, graduate transfers Ryan Young and Jacob Grandison combined for 12 of the Blue Devils’ first 20 points. The duo finished the game with 16 total points after an efficient shooting day.
Now:
Stellar bench trio
In Duke’s loss to N.C. State, head coach Jon Scheyer utilized Whitehead, Young and Proctor off the bench—and it was these three players that offset the lackluster performances by the starting lineup. The trio put up a combined 28 points and each of them will look to make an instant impact against Boston College, whether it be as a starter or a reserve.
Sloppy hands
One of the biggest things on head coach Jon Scheyer’s agenda should be the team’s recklessness with the ball. Having recorded a season-high 21 turnovers against the Wolfpack, the Blue Devils should approach their next contest with greater focus on precision and overall control of the game.
Bounce back
13 straight missed shots and poor decision-making paved the way for Duke’s underwhelming performance and eventual defeat in Raleigh. But while a blowout loss most certainly stings, the Blue Devils still have a long season ahead of them, and a matchup against a team they previously defeated offers the perfect chance to bounce back. 40 minutes of good Duke basketball against the Eagles could be the perfect remedy for the pain from the team’s recent woes.
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