Duke men’s basketball prepares to take on George Mason at home Tuesday. The Blue Zone previews the game with an overview and three keys:
Overview
2023-24 record: 20-12, 9-9 in Atlantic 10
2024-25 record: 7-3
Head coach: Tony Skinn
Series history: Duke leads 3-0
Last meeting: 69-53 Duke, Dec. 9, 2006
George Mason rides a five-game winning streak into Durham, as the red-hot Patriots prepare to face off against the ranked Blue Devils in historic Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Most recently, George Mason took down Tulane at home by a margin of 76-64. The victory came on the back of a brilliant first-half performance, which saw the Patriots leading by 18 points heading into the break. Guards Darius Maddox and Brayden O’Connor each posted 17 points, while forward Jalen Haynes hauled in 12 rebounds alongside 15 points of his own.
The contest against the Green Wave was Maddox’s first back for George Mason after missing a game with an ankle injury he sustained against James Madison. He did not let it bother him, as the senior only missed three minutes of action while drilling 50% of his 3-point attempts. Averaging 14.9 points per game and shooting 41.1% from beyond the arc on the season, it will be key for Duke to limit Maddox’s involvement Tuesday.
Another key player for the Patriots is Haynes. The senior forward leads his team in rebounds and contributes an average of 11.6 points per game. Lately he has been at his best, averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds in George Mason’s last two wins. The Blue Devils’ size and defensive capability will provide Haynes with his most difficult test of the season as he looks to make Duke the next victim to his recent outstanding performances.
There is no dearth of veteran experience for head coach Tony Skinn to turn to against the Blue Devils. With no underclassmen in their starting lineup against Tulane, the Patriots have an understanding of what it takes to play against a team like Duke in their toughest matchup thus far. While Skinn’s team will look to make six straight wins, Jon Scheyer’s Blue Devils likely have other plans for the evening.
3 keys
Take advantage of mismatches: Duke boasts one of the tallest rosters in the country. Between 6-foot-5 guard Caleb Foster and 7-foot-2 center Khaman Maluach, the Blue Devils should find themselves with a size advantage at essentially every position on the court. Against Incarnate Word, Maluach had a season-high 17 points while taking advantage of a similar height disparity to the one he will see against George Mason. The freshman out of South Sudan will look to replicate that kind of performance and show that his offensive skill set is beginning to develop at this point of the season.
Build confidence on the bench: With Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown still day-to-day with a toe injury, Scheyer has a perfect opportunity to give minutes to some of his less-experienced players on the bench. Freshman center Patrick Ngongba II could see more action in this game, as could Isaiah Evans, whose recent performances have demanded more time on the court. Heading into conference play, knowing the quality of the Duke bench will be vital down the stretch. This game against the Patriots could provide the perfect benchmark for analyzing its talents.
Crash the boards: The Blue Devils out-rebounded the Cardinals by 18 in their last game, a trend which they will hope to see continue against George Mason. Their superior size should lend itself to a big day on the boards, providing Duke with plenty of second chance opportunities and limiting the chances the Patriots get on offense. If the Blue Devils can continue to dominate the glass, they should find themselves in the driver's seat at home once again.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.