Duke looks to start the season 3-0. Is there any chance that Central Arkansas puts up a fight against the Blue Devils?
TV schedule: Tuesday, November 12, 7:00 pm ET. ACCNetwork
Arena: Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina
Coming off the impressive opening victory over Kansas in the Champions Classic, Duke (2-0) did not take its foot off the gas pedal this past Friday. They took care of Mountain West foe Colorado State, 89-55 after shooting 54% from the field while holding their opponents to just 33% on defense.
One question that was asked in the preseason was whether or not the Blue Devils have a “go-to” guy. For now, it continues to be a collective effort, with six different players scoring 9+ points in the Rams win. Cassius Stanley had a team-high 19 points and seven rebounds, while Tre Jones chipped in with 15 points and dished out eight assists. Big man Vernon Carey made all five of his field-goal attempts but also used all five of his allotted fouls in just 15 minutes played.
Duke is at the point of their schedule where they’re playing some of the lesser teams in college basketball. But everyone on the schedule should be taken seriously, including the upcoming opponent Central Arkansas (1-2). The Bears have lost both of their matchups against D-I foes, including just recently falling on the road at Georgetown, 89-78. Forward Hayden Koval led all scorers with 21 points on 8/13 shooting from the field while making 12 total three-pointers as a team.
From a roster standpoint, this is a complete mismatch that Duke should handle easily. But Central Arkansas does have the ability to put points on the board and Koval does have a triple-double on his college resume. At the very least, he’ll be a good opponent for the Blue Devil forwards to play against and learn from in their third game at this level.
While an upset is beyond imagination, Duke should put the Bears away early so that they can continue to use their roster. Players like Joey Baker, Wendell Moore, and Jordan Goldwire need more minutes and playing time so that the coaching staff can put together the best rotation for the tougher games. At the very least, Central Arkansas can make them sweat for a bit.
Prediction: Duke 93 – Central Arkansas 61
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