After each Duke basketball game this season, check back here for the Player of the Game and more. The Blue Devils earned a comfortable win against Boston College Saturday 80-65, and the Blue Zone analyzes the victory:
One player: Mark Mitchell
After an impressive performance against the Fighting Irish Wednesday, the Kansas City native continues to dominate on the offensive end of the court. While Boston College was able to keep the Blue Devils on their toes in the first half — entering the second half with just a four-point deficit — it was Mitchell’s offensive efforts that brought Duke stability. 15 of the sophomore forward’s 17 points came in the second half of the contest, posting a field goal percentage of 85.7%.
Mitchell’s offensive presence wasn’t contained to the paint — the 6-foot-9 forward found unfamiliar success from beyond the arc. While the team went 10-for-30 from 3-point range, Mitchell sank both of his 3-pointers in the contest, showcasing his versatile performance. The sophomore continues to improve on his production and balanced contribution to the Blue Devils, posting double-digit performances in five of his last six starts.
One word: Teamwork
While many of Duke’s wins this season have been categorized by lopsided efforts, the team proved capable of putting all the pieces together when it welcomed the Eagles Saturday afternoon. All five of the Blue Devil starters posted double-digits, including a double-double from freshman guard Jared McCain. After struggling to convert in the contest against Notre Dame, sophomore center Kyle Filipowski proved to be a greater contributor to the team in Saturday’s matchup. The Westtown, N.Y., native doubled his offensive production from Wednesday’s contest, putting up 16 points — including a bucket from beyond the arc. The team’s performance was also assisted by efforts from the bench. Freshmen Caleb Foster and Sean Stewart combined for 10 points during their entry into the contest.
One stat: 19 points off turnovers
On the defensive end of the court, Duke’s efforts were tenacious. The Blue Devils held their opponent’s leading scorer — Quinten Post — to eight points and took advantage of inconsistent shooting by the entire Boston College offense. While Duke’s leading rebounder, Filipowski, had just one rebound the entire game, the rest of the team helped control the paint. The Blue Devils’ defensive effort led to 19 points off turnovers and 15 fast-break points, preventing the Eagles from establishing any consistency during the matchup.
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