Opponent preview: What to know about Duke
Corey Henry | Senior Staff Photographer
Duke's Matthew Hurt has become the team's offensive weapon this season.
Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.
Syracuse visits Cameron Indoor Stadium on Monday night for a matchup with the red-hot Duke Blue Devils. Duke has won three straight games, including most recently an upset over No. 7 Virginia.
The two programs have been curiously linked in recent news cycles over SU coach Jim Boeheim’s comments — and clarifications — regarding Duke freshman Jalen Johnson. Johnson opted out of the season, and Boeheim said on his radio show that the Blue Devils might be better without him. After Syracuse’s (13-6, 7-5 Atlantic Coast) win over Notre Dame, Boeheim spent four minutes addressing the situation.
Jim Boeheim defends his comments on Duke and Jalen Johnson from earlier this week. Also criticizes the media for listening to and covering his weekly talk radio show (?)
"If you have to use my talk show to find something to write, you ought to be in another profession."
— Danny Emerman (@DannyEmerman) February 20, 2021
The controversy is generally a non-story, and it won’t factor into Monday’s matchup. Here’s the scouting report on Duke (10-8, 8-6):
All-time series
Duke leads 10-6 and has won the previous three meetings.
Last time they played
The environment for Monday night’s game will be nothing like the one for last year’s matchup, when 31,000 fans packed the Carrier Dome. There are no Cameron Crazies this year due to COVID-19, removing much of the mystique behind a signature college basketball venue.
In the Dome last year, Syracuse kept it tight with Duke in the first half, entering halftime trailing by four. Fans cheered for Joe Girard III’s 3s and Elijah Hughes’ rejections. But the Blue Devils put together a consistent, strong second half to pull away and win 97-88.
Duke center Vernon Carey Jr. led the way with 26 points and 17 rebounds, dominating the interior of SU’s zone. Marek Dolezaj (22 points) and Hughes (21) responded, but Duke won the rebounding battle and shot 57% from the floor.
Along with the absence of fans, the teams are much different this year, too.
KenPom odds
Duke has a 66% chance to win, with a projected score of 78-74
The Blue Devils report
Since Johnson opted out, forward Matthew Hurt has stepped up and become Duke’s go-to offensive weapon. He’s scored 22, 22 and 24 points in the past three games, all victories.
While Duke doesn’t have the plethora of stud freshmen it has trotted out in recent years, it has strong scorers all over the court. Sophomores Hurt and Wendell Moore Jr. can fill it up from all three levels. Freshman DJ Steward is shooting 35% from 3. Overall, the Blue Devils have the 15th-most efficient offense in the nation, per KenPom.
Where Duke struggles is defending the 3. It’s 318th in defensive 3-point percentage, allowing opponents to convert 37.8% of their looks from deep. Duke has the signature win over Virginia, but has also lost to ACC cellar dweller Miami and an up-and-down Notre Dame group.
How Syracuse beats Duke
While Boeheim reiterated after the Notre Dame comeback that Syracuse isn’t a great pressing team, it might come to some full-court pressure on Monday. Duke has such good shooters that if they get hot, SU will need to adjust to take them out of their rhythm.
Offensively, Syracuse needs to capitalize on Duke’s lackluster perimeter defense and fire away from behind the arc. If SU makes it a shootout and gets Buddy Boeheim, Girard and Alan Griffin going, it can fly home with a victory.
Player to watch: Matthew Hurt, No. 21, 6-foot-9 forward
Duke is playing good basketball right now, and Hurt’s been the catalyst. He’s a stretchy forward with range, but he’s also physical in the paint. It’s possible Duke sticks him at the free throw line, where several teams have broken the 2-3 zone this year. Hurt’s not a great passer, but he’s smart and rarely turns the ball over. And with his obvious shooting ability he could be lethal at the high post.
Syracuse has shifted its defense at times to overcompensate and deny the free-throw line entry pass. That’s been effective occasionally, but it tends to leave shooters on the wings more open. It might not be an option against the Blue Devils.
Stat to know: 5%
Senior Jordan Goldwire is a disruptive defensive player. His steal rate is 5%, seventh-best in a stat that Syracuse freshman Kadary Richmond leads in. Goldwire typically comes off the bench for Duke, but he can change games with his defense and athleticism.
Published on February 21, 2021 at 10:37 pm
Contact Danny: dremerma@syr.edu | @DannyEmerman
