Duke Basketball: Biggest keys for Blue Devils in final month of 2019-20

MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 04: Tre Jones #3, Cassius Stanley #2, Vernon Carey Jr. #1, Wendell Moore Jr. #0 and Javin DeLaurier #12 of the Duke Blue Devils react after a basket against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half at the Watsco Center on January 04, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 21: Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /

More keys for Duke

When Vernon Carey fouled out with four minutes left down thirteen at UNC, I, along with most Duke fans, thought it just wasn’t the Devils’ day. Usually, when Carey goes out, Duke struggles mightily to score or even run good offense. Against the Heels, Coach K instituted a five-out set with everyone on the perimeter and no big man in the post.

It worked fabulously. The Tar Heels continued to play two big men and didn’t have the man to man defenders that could have stopped this kind of offense. Duke, with Jones and Wendell Moore specifically, kept driving into the lane for layups or free throws while good ball pressure on defense allowed the Devils to keep the rock out of the paint for the most part.

The small ball line up of Jones, Moore, Goldwire, O’Connell and Stanley, with Baker coming on after Cassius Stanley fouled out was so effective, I thought this could be the birth of a new rotation. It still could be, but against FSU, who has the depth and athletes to guard a Duke line up like this, Coach K pulled another grouping out of his hat that probably hasn’t been together all year.

For a bit in the first half, Goldwire assumed the point with Hurt, Baker, O’Connell and Carey as his running mates. They played effectively and it goes to show how every game can be anyone’s chance to shine. Coach K used a lot of bodies and subbed frequently to offset any fatigue or hangover from the UNC win.

It had seemed like Coach K was tightening back the rotation in recent weeks, but it looks like he will utilize some players to exploit certain matchups one game, while they might not get significant minutes in the next. The line-up versatility is one of Duke’s greatest strengths this season and it appears Coach K has no intention of limiting his use of any and all scholarship players on any given night.

Speaking of those rotational players, we’ll now take a look at their individual games and see where each can improve to bring out a stronger Duke Blue Devil team.

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