After each Duke men’s basketball game this season, check back here for the Player of the Game and more. The Blue Devils dropped a back-and-forth contest against Pittsburgh Saturday evening 80-76, and the Blue Zone is here to break down the game:
One player: Blake Hinson
It was a career night for senior forward Blake Hinson, who propelled Pittsburgh to victory against No. 7 Duke. Leading all players with 24 points, the Deltona, Fla., native boasted remarkable efficiency from the field Saturday evening. He shot 80% from the field and 100% from three, a far cry from his season averages of 43.7% and 42%, respectively. It seemed as though any ball he touched was bound for the basket last night, as even his pass attempts found their way into the bottom of the net. The Panthers’ offense had a different air about it when Hinson was at its forefront, even when he wasn’t the one doing the scoring. He didn’t slack off on defense, however, topping all players in the rebound column with eight boards. Seven of these were defensive, helping to prove his value on both ends of the court.
Despite all of this, it was Hinson’s ability to stay in the game that served as the catalyst for victory. He was sitting at four fouls for the greater part of the second half but managed to stave off ejection all the way until the final whistle. With the almost unreal presence he exuded, fouling out could have proved detrimental to Pittsburgh. Realizing this, he remained controlled but effective on the defensive end, accruing more points and rebounds while spurring his teammates toward the finish line.
One word: Desire
Put simply, the Blue Devils were unable to convert at crucial junctures. They would rally back from a multiple-possession deficit, then take their foot off the gas and allow the Panthers to gain their lead anew. It seemed as though Pittsburgh willed itself to this victory, refusing to grant Duke even the slightest hint at reprieve down the stretch. When it needed a basket, a basket it got. When the Blue Devils needed a stop on a key possession, they almost always came up empty. In this way, it can be said that much of the difference between these two teams — aside from the injuries of two Duke starters — was desire. Pittsburgh just seemed to want it more, and it was rewarded for its efforts last night.
One stat: 50% from three
In what has become a rather worrisome trend, conference opponents have exhibited a unique hunger at Cameron Indoor Stadium, often shooting over 20% higher from deep than normal at the venue. This was especially true for this Panther squad, coming in as yet another team with bottom-third shooting splits that exhibited remarkable efficiency against the Blue Devils. Ranked 198th in 3-point percentage on the season, Pittsburgh has long struggled from behind the arc. Even so, it was scorching from deep Saturday. Led by Hinson’s seven threes on seven attempts, the Panthers would go on to log ten deep balls on the evening. When coupled with its general efficiency from the field, this uncharacteristic shooting performance was enough to propel Pittsburgh to a victory against Duke.
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