Duke Basketball: 5 keys for a successful 2018-19 season

OMAHA, NE - MARCH 25: The Duke Blue Devils cheerleaders carry their schools flags on to the court prior to the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional against the Kansas Jayhawks at CenturyLink Center on March 25, 2018 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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PORTLAND, OR – NOVEMBER 24: Alex O’Connell #15 of the Duke Blue Devils goes after a loose ball. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /

Floor spacers open driving lanes

There are not many weaknesses on this Duke roster but 3-point shooting might be one of them. During the preseason trip in Canada, both Barrett and Williamson showed that there were more comfortable scoring inside the arc. And while they were extremely effective at doing this, opponents may start to clog the lane if there are not strong floor spacers around them offensively. Due to this, Coach K may need a couple of players to step up as snipers.

In my opinion, the two most important shooters on the roster will be sophomore Alex O’Connell and freshman Joey Baker. Both of these players project as elite perimeter options who can be counted on to knock down open jumpers beyond the arc. In regards to O’Connell, he is one of the few returning players on the roster who should see extended minutes. Although not extremely experienced, he did average 10.4 minutes per game as a freshman last season while shooting 22-for-45 (48.9%) from beyond the arc.

Baker, on the other hand, was originally a member of the 2019 class prior to reclassifying and he should be one of the first players off the bench this season. Considering his size at 6-foot-6, Baker should emerge as a strong shooter who can also hold his own defensively. He has outstanding form on his jumper and understands how to function within the offense. Baker might not post double-digit scoring numbers but he will keep defenders honest with his range and accuracy.

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