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Duke vs. Syracuse: Keys and storylines for 2019-20 matchup

By Garth Johnson

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 22: Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski talks to Tre Jones #3 during the second half of their game against the Georgetown Hoyas at Madison Square Garden on November 22, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 22: Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski talks to Tre Jones #3 during the second half of their game against the Georgetown Hoyas at Madison Square Garden on November 22, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /
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SYRACUSE, NY – FEBRUARY 23: General view of the seat reserved for head coach Jim Boeheim of the Syracuse Orange (Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NY – FEBRUARY 23: General view of the seat reserved for head coach Jim Boeheim of the Syracuse Orange (Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images) /

More keys for Cuse

A couple of places that Syracuse will not have to worry about, a jinx if I ever heard one, sorry Cuse fans, are the two and three positions.  Elijah Hughes leads the ACC in scoring at 19.3 per game and Buddy Boeheim chips in 16.4 a contest.

Hughes has scored in double digits in every game this season and has been a steady performer since the jump.  Buddy Boeheim has really come on during conference play where he averages just over 18 and it would be an even twenty if you throw out the two games against Virginia.  I’m sure a lot of players would like to be able to drop their stat lines from Cavalier games.

Boeheim is first in the ACC in threes made and seventh in the country.  He will need to be as good as advertised and probably better.  This could also apply to the interior players of Syracuse as someone needs to step up and make Vernon Carey work on the defensive end.

Most of the Syracuse bigs get their production on put backs and dives to the rim but it may be equally important for them to not get into foul trouble as they did against Clemson.  Dolezaj and Sidibe both fouled out at the end against the Tigers and they will need to spread out the responsibility of guarding and fouling Carey.

Carey is fouled more than anyone else in the ACC and it’s not close.  This isn’t a bad strategy considering he only shoots 59% from the stripe but the Cuse needs to keep their guys on the court; especially Dolezaj who does a little bit of everything.  He just makes winning plays, increases efficiency with a high basketball IQ and this game will feature a matchup of two of the ultimate glue guys in him and Duke’s Jack White.

Syracuse has pulled the upset before and will likely do it again.  It’s up to Duke to make sure it doesn’t happen Saturday night and they can achieve this by:

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