Following the offensive clinic Duke put on against Syracuse, Duke will look to extend their winning streak to five games. The Blue Devils are inching closer to an NCAA Tournament birth, but there is work still to be done to ensure a bid. A win over Louisville would position Duke one step closer to making the big dance, but a loss be a significant blow to their tournament hopes. Just like Duke’s other most recent games, the stakes are high for this one.
Louisville currently sits at fourth in the ACC. The Cardinals have had a significant interruption to their season of late due to COVID-19 protocols. From February 2nd to February 17th, Louisville did not play a single game. When they resumed play, they were thoroughly dominated by UNC, losing by 45 points. Louisville rebounded in their following game with a win over Notre Dame and now have a 12-5 record on the season, with a 7-4 conference record.
What to watch for:
Can Duke slow Carlik Jones?
Duke was unable to contain Carlik Jones in the previous matchup. The stand out guard finished with 24 points and dished out five assists. Jones finished with 12 free throw attempts after having Duke’s defense on its heels for the majority of the day. Duke will need to slow Jones in the rematch.
How sharp will Louisville look?
Duke knows all too well how canceled games can disrupt the rhythm to a season. A two week pause to the season is a significant amount of lost time and a difficult challenge to overcome. Louisville looked completely out of sync their first game back from the time off, but improved in their most recent game against Notre Dame. It will be interesting to see if Louisville is completely back in sync or if it looks like or if there are still any lingering effects stemming from their extended pause to the season.
Can Duke improve their assist: turnover ratio in the rematch?
One of the largest contributing factors to Duke losing to Louisville the first time these teams met was Duke’s poor assist: turnover ratio. The Blue Devils turned the ball over 15 times and generated just seven team assists, a recipe for disaster. Duke won’t need another 27 assist night like what they achieved against Syracuse, but a much cleaner game from Duke will be needed in this one. Duke must cut down on the turnovers and move the ball more effectively, which seems like a likelihood given how Duke has played of late.
Rebounding battle
Rebounding has been an area of strength for the Cardinals this season. Louisville ranks 27th in the country in rebounds per game and on average out-rebound their opponents by five rebounds per game. Duke will need to attack the glass and prevent Louisville from controlling the game in the rebounding department.