Both Duke and Illinois will be playing their 2nd ranked team of the season in this matchup inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke fell to 8th ranked Michigan State while Illinois came up short against #2 Baylor. After three subpar performances to start the season, Duke will look to put together their best performance to date – and it will be necessary to come away with the victory in this one. This is a resume building opportunity for both teams as this will be a quality win for whoever comes out on top.
What to Watch For:
Can Duke slow down Ayo Dosunmu?
The preseason All American has lived up to the hype through the Fighting Illini’s first four games. Averaging 23.8 points per game on the season, Dosunmu has been a nightmare for opponents. Duke will likely throw different looks at Dosunmu in an effort to slow him down. Look for Wendell Moore, and Jalen Johnson, and Jordan Goldwire as three different potential options to spend time defending Dosonmu.
Duke’s bigs vs. Kofi Cockburn
At 7’0, 285 pounds, Kofi Cockburn is arguably the most imposing physical threat in all of college basketball. Baylor did a great job of neutralizing Cockburn by forcing a switch that put Cockburn on one of their guards/wings and using their speed to render him far less effective. Duke could replicate this strategy and go with a small ball lineup. Hurt at the five would also draw Cockburn away from the rim. On the other end, Hurt is going to need help keeping Cokcburn away from the rim and off the boards. There will likely be some Mark Williams vs. Kofi Cockburn center minutes as well. Both traditional centers, this will be a huge test for Mark Williams and one that will benefit the Freshman.
Can Duke get more from their guards?
Wendell Moore is 1-16 over the last two games, Jeremy Roach is just 3-8. Goldwire has been a steady veteran presence while DJ Steward has been up and down. It will take a better collective performance from the backcourt for Duke to walk away with the win. If two of these players can reach double digits scoring, I like Duke’s chances.
Duke needs at least one star-worthy performance. Who will they get that from?
In the season opener, Jalen Johnson delivered a special performance. Matthew Hurt has Duke’s top performer over the last two games by a wide margin. Perhaps DJ Steward can get hot and give Duke another game similar to the one he had in the first game of the season. On the other side, Dosunmu is almost certain to have a big time performance. Duke will need someone to step up and match.