Florida State Basketball: 2018-19 keys to success at home against Duke

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – NOVEMBER 06: Cam Reddish #2 of the Duke Blue Devils dribbles the ball against the kentucky Wildcats during the State Farm Champions Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on November 6, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

1. Focus on stopping the supporting cast

The first key to a Florida State victory may seem a bit unconventional when you’re facing the 3rd best offense in the sport that puts up 90.9 points per game, but the Seminoles must put the clamps on anyone not named Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett in Duke uniform. The two stud freshman net 43.7 of those 91 points, also pull down 16 rebounds and hand out 6.5 assists, so even for a top-100 team when it comes to scoring defense and the 17th ranked team in defensive efficiency on KenPom, the best course of action for the Seminoles may be to “let them get theirs” as they say and control the other six guys in the rotation.

While the rest of the rotation is no slouch, Cam Reddish is a likely NBA lottery pick and Tre Jones could also be a first-round pick, they aren’t as offensively prolific as Williamson and Barrett.

Reddish, Jones, Jack White, Alex O’Connell, Javin DeLaurier, and Marques Bolden combine to score 43.6 points per game, with Reddish taking up 12.6 of that, so holding these guys in check may be the key to holding the Blue Devil offense in check, as much as a Duke offense can be held in check, and not panicking if Williamson and Barrett have their average games.

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