No. 2 Duke men's basketball is set to open its regular-season slate at home Monday against Dartmouth. Before tipoff, the Blue Zone is here with three keys to a Blue Devil victory:
Ride the wave
In the wake of their dominant, albeit expected victory against UNC Pembroke in Wednesday’s exhibition match, the second-ranked Blue Devils will undoubtedly be aiming to ring in the new season with a similar result against Dartmouth Monday evening. In addition to a first notch in the victory column, a win against the Big Green would create an air of confidence in the Duke locker room, which would be very important for the Blue Devils given that they will be tested early in their campaign with back-to-back matches against top-15 opponents — No. 12 Arizona and No. 4 Michigan State.
Duke is considered to be a legitimate title favorite this year, bringing in one of the nation’s top recruiting classes to bolster a roster full of key returners from last year’s ACC tournament-winning campaign. The team boasts unparalleled depth in the backcourt, with sophomore breakout candidate Tyrese Proctor projected to be flanked by freshman Jared McCain and senior Jeremy Roach, while freshman Caleb Foster and junior Jaylen Blakes come off the bench. The frontcourt is spearheaded by NABC National Player of the Year contender Kyle Filipowski and sophomore Mark Mitchell, combining with the guards to create a truly dangerous squad.
With these sky-high expectations weighing on their shoulders, it is imperative that the Blue Devils remain disciplined and avoid any potential slips. They are heavy favorites against Dartmouth, who haven’t had a winning season in over 20 years, so merely riding the momentum from an exhibition trouncing should prove to be too much for the Ivy League opposition.
Lock down the perimeter
The Big Green is not projected to field anyone taller than 6-foot-8 in their starting five and will likely be looking to spread the floor on offense to compensate. Senior Dusan Neskovic, one of only two returners to average over 10 points per game last season, shot 42.4% from beyond the arc during the 2022-23 campaign. Even so, he will be toe-to-toe with a stout perimeter defense, one which held the Braves to a measly nine points from outside.
Neskovic, alongside 6-foot-4 junior Ryan Cornish, will likely serve as the axis of Dartmouth’s perimeter attack — and by extension its offense as a whole. As such, Duke’s guards and bigs alike must be cognizant of this perimeter threat and be ready to close out when necessary. If they can force this Big Green offense to the paint, the Blue Devils can capitalize on any size mismatches to remain in control of the game.
Let it fly
It was an offensive clinic for Duke in its preseason teaser as they logged a whopping 109 points against UNC Pembroke, a performance emblematic of the firepower that this year’s squad possesses. The Blue Devils were firing on all cylinders, with each starter contributing double-digit points. Perhaps most impressive was the efficiency with which they scored, shooting 53.4% from the field and 44% from the perimeter. Proctor drained five threes at a 62.5% clip, helping to cement his status as a real threat from beyond the arc.
Should Duke continue to spread the floor this way against Dartmouth, it should have no trouble setting the tone early. If the three ball is established from tipoff, the Blue Devils will have countless options for attacking and should pull away early.
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