Duke Basketball: Keys for Blue Devils to beating Syracuse on the road

By Neil Adler | Feb 22, 2019

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 20: Teammates Tre Jones #3, Cam Reddish #2 and Javin DeLaurier #12 of the Duke Blue Devils react against the North Carolina Tar Heels during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 20, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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PITTSBURGH, PA – MARCH 17: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils shouts against the Rhode Island Rams during the second half in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 17, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

The Duke basketball program faces a huge task on Saturday when the Blue Devils travel to Central New York to square off with Syracuse.

No. 1 Duke will visit Syracuse on Saturday evening, in a game filled with excitement, ramifications for post-season play, and tremendous sadness. The Blue Devils (23-3, 11-2), coming off a disappointing loss to No. 8 North Carolina on Wednesday, will reportedly not have star freshman forward Zion Williamson in the line-up versus the Orange, after he suffered a Grade 1 right-knee sprain in the first minute of Duke’s duel against the Tar Heels.

For Syracuse (18-8, 9-4), meanwhile, the Orange notched a stellar 20-point victory, also on Wednesday, at home versus No. 18 Louisville, a critical achievement for Syracuse’s somewhat pedestrian Big Dance resume. But looking beyond collegiate hoops, Orange Nation is hurting due to the fatal accident involving head coach Jim Boeheim that occurred only a few hours following Syracuse’s conquest of the Cardinals.

I am an extremely proud alum of Syracuse University, and this terrible tragedy has shaken me to my core. My heart goes out to the victim of this accident and his family, as well as the Boeheim family. ESPN officials elected to cancel Saturday’s broadcast of College GameDay inside the Carrier Dome, moving the popular show to the network’s headquarters in Bristol, Conn. I 100 percent respect this course of action.

Boeheim will coach the Orange in its encounter with the Blue Devils, and I know it’s because he wants to bring his players and staff, the fan base, and the greater Syracuse community together at an event that is expected to break the NCAA’s attendance record for an on-campus affair. I applaud Boeheim’s move, despite the horrific tragedy that has transpired.

There is a ton at stake in this tilt. Duke presently shares the lead in the Atlantic Coast Conference race, while the Orange is tied for fourth place. The Blue Devils are in line for a No. 1 seed in March Madness. Syracuse, should it notch a second triumph over Duke, will likely lock up an at-large invite to the 2019 NCAA Tournament, barring a late-stanza collapse. The Blue Devils will have their hands full with the Orange, and let’s examine three pivotal aspects for Duke to secure a win.

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