Duke Basketball: 2019-20 keys to bounce-back home win over Louisville

2. Stop Jordan Nwora

Jordan Nwora is the ACC’s leading scorer and he also ranks 21st overall in the nation in terms of scoring. Nwora is a HUGE part of why Louisville has been such an impressive team so far this season and had it not been for him, their record wouldn’t be anywhere near what it is.

Nwora 20.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game creating an argument for himself to win the ACC Player of the Year and also, the National Player of the Year.

However, the Blue Devils also have a player who is in this discussion as well and his name is Vernon Carey jr.

Carey averages 17.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 1.9 blocks per game. Having two players who are in the top-five of scoring in the ACC will make for quite the game and this matchup might be a deciding factor of the game.

Carey and Nwora are undoubtedly the most important players on each of their teams and if Duke is able to stop Jordan Nwora, they will effectively stop Louisville.

In only three games this season has Jordan Nwora scored less than 15 points in a game and two of them were during a Louisville loss. Once when he scored 14 points against Texas Tech, the other being when he put up only eight against Kentucky and the final game being his 14 against Pitt when the Cardinals barely escaped the Panthers.

What this means is if Duke can manage to hold Nwora to less than 15 points, it is highly likely that the Blue Devils will come out of it with a record of 3-0 against ranked opponents, while also giving Louisville their fourth loss of the season.

The Jordan Nwora-Vernon Carey jr. matchup is going to be very important for the outcome of this game and it is certainly something to keep your eye on.