No. 3 Duke men’s basketball faces a rare February nonconference game tonight against Illinois. Before the 8 p.m. tipoff, check out who our beats think will win:
Ranjan Jindal: Duke 82-69
I think Duke has been on a roll offensively of late, and I see that continuing in Madison Square Garden. Illinois is not a super strong defensive team and does not turn teams over very much, so the elite Blue Devil backcourt should excel. Their size discrepancy is a big factor in this one, and look for Duke to take advantage on the glass. Obviously playing in this stage can increase nerves, and while I like some of the Fighting Illini shooters, they haven’t been able to shoot well in conference play at all. That’s the biggest stat I’m watching for Illinois, because if they can’t connect from deep, the Blue Devils will win comfortably.
Dom Fenoglio: Duke 81-74
Maliq Brown’s absence may make life difficult for Duke trying to stop a potent Illinois attack, especially considering the Fighting Illini’s success on the offensive boards. Freshman center Khaman Maluach has struggled with foul trouble without Brown in the lineup, and if those problems continue Saturday, the Blue Devils may be in for a fight. Still, I think Cooper Flagg and company will prove to be too much for Illinois down the stretch, and Duke should comfortably close out another victory in the Big Apple.
Sophie Levenson: Duke 74-68
I think this game has to be close, largely due to Brown’s absence. Not having him on the defensive end of the court is not necessarily critical to the Blue Devils’ success, because Mason Gillis and Patrick Ngongba II have stepped into stronger defensive roles as of late and fared pretty well. But Brown’s absence is certainly a huge loss for Duke. The location of this game, on the other hand, couldn’t be better for Duke; here in New York we’re already seeing a swamp of Duke fans getting ready for a night at so-called “Cameron North.” Since their loss to Clemson, the Blue Devils have had plenty of time to identify the weaknesses that have hurt them in this spotlight matchups. Scheyer’s team knows it needs to prove itself tonight, and I’d be surprised if this scrappy group doesn’t do just that.
Abby DiSalvo: Duke 80-62
Though the Fighting Illini showed glimmers of potential earlier this season, I think their inability to adjust under pressure will give Duke a commanding edge. In its last six losses, Illinois consistently averaged over 30 3-point attempts, despite shooting just 23.7% from deep. Finding the basket from behind the arc has been the Illini’s Achilles heel all season, and I’m not sure the team has demonstrated enough scoring versatility to effectively combat the Blue Devils’ top-ranked defense. For that reason, I think Duke runs away with this game — especially if it can limit Kasparas Jakucionis and Ben Humrichous while forcing Illinois into another doomed shooting struggle.
Rodrigo Amare: Duke 82-65
Illinois’s roster is battling illness, ailed by significant injuries and demoralized from a two-game losing skid. Given those circumstances, a primetime matchup against Duke’s dominant roster in “Cameron North” does not bode well for the Fighting Illini. The Blue Devils have not won a neutral site game this season — falling to both Kentucky and Kansas in November. That changes Saturday night. Scheyer has told his players to expect an NCAA Tournament atmosphere, and I think Duke’s resilient squad will live up to the occasion. Look for Flagg in particular to have a spectacular showing under the lights of Madison Square Garden, furthering his case as National Player of the Year by excelling in basketball’s most iconic arena.
Caleb Dudley: Duke 77-66
At times, I have been extremely impressed with Illinois when I’ve watched the team. But as of recently, the wheels have fallen off a bit. The Fighting Illini are just not knocking down shots they should be — especially behind the arc. Add in the loss of big man Morez Johnson Jr. and the team-wide illness, and I think Duke will be able to overpower Illinois in the World’s Most Famous Arena. Look for Ngongba to have an expanded role with the loss of Brown and the lack of frontcourt depth for the Fighting Illini. Between Flagg, Jakucionis and the rest of the talented draft prospects in this one, the fans — and scouts — at Madison Square Garden are in for a treat. Blue Devil faithful will leave that much more pleased.
Andrew Long: Duke 85-78
As anyone who has attended, let alone covered, a Duke game at Madison Square Garden can attest, the nickname “Cameron North” is an apt one. The Blue Devils’ recent record at the venue agrees, with eight of the last nine and seven consecutive games Duke has played in New York falling its way. I don’t want to say a home-court advantage affirms a Blue Devil win, because it doesn’t, but it will absolutely assist a red-hot Duke team playing some of its best offensive basketball of the season. Jakucionis can be a problem, but so can Flagg, Maluach, Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor, even without Brown to shore things up on defense. Illinois can keep this one interesting, but I can’t overlook the Blue Devils’ talent advantage and a Madison Square Garden crowd that will swing at least 80-20 in their favor.
Rachael Kaplan: Duke 79-71
Brown being out spiced this one up a bit. It is no question that Duke’s defense suffers as a result. However, Isaiah Evans has been improving as a defender with Brown’s mentorship to thank, and Ngongba is a completely different player than he was in November. While the Blue Devils lose their deflection king, it allows them to get some different lineups on the floor and really see what those two freshmen can do. Duke’s only two neutral games so far this year, early-season games against Kentucky and Kansas, did not go Scheyer’s way. Madison Square Garden is a comfortable neutral site for the squad, and a place they know they can win and know they will have a supportive fanbase. The Blue Devils are sure to eclipse the Illini’s 72.4 points allowed average — and I think that the defense will be able to hold up, despite the injury.
Season records
Jindal: 7-1
Fenoglio: 7-1
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Levenson: 5-3
Dudley: 5-3
DiSalvo: 5-3
Amare: 5-3
Long: 5-3
Kaplan: 5-3
Rachael Kaplan is a Trinity senior and a senior editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.
Dom Fenoglio is a Trinity junior and a sports managing editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.
Ranjan Jindal is a Trinity junior and sports editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.
Sophie Levenson is a Trinity junior and a sports managing editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.
Rodrigo Amare is a Trinity sophomore and assistant Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.
Abby DiSalvo is a Trinity sophomore and assistant Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.
Andrew Long is a Trinity senior and recruitment/social chair of The Chronicle's 120th volume. He was previously sports editor for Volume 119.