Duke at Florida State: 2020-21 key storylines for ACC matchup
Duke and Florida State meet up in their only match-up this season. ACC and AP implications are on the line as these rivals meet on Saturday.
With a handful of games slated for the ACC on Saturday, by the time Florida State and Duke tip-off at 8 pm on ESPN 2, Virginia Tech and Louisville could be sitting undefeated in the ACC standings. A win by Duke would place them right alongside them, whereas Florida State would remain just a game behind with a victory, albeit early in the season.
The Florida State Seminoles fell to 1-1 in ACC play Tuesday when they lost to the defensive-minded Clemson Tigers 77-67. The Seminoles were led by freshman guard Scottie Barnes who scored fourteen points on six of ten shooting.
Barnes was one of the few who had shooting success as the Seminoles shot 41 percent from the field, which was weighed down by their 28 percent from the three-point line. With winnable away games at Syracuse and Pittsburgh next week the Seminoles are hoping to start off 2021 by beginning a winning streak.
The Duke Blue Devils are coming off a victory in their last game which was on Dec.16, 2020. The Blue Devils are led by sophomore forward Matthew Hurt with 18.8 points per game. During their 3-2 start, the Blue Devils have had difficulty getting to the free-throw line as they average under 14 attempts per game, despite going 24-30 in their loss to Michigan State.
Putting the conference standings aside, this game presents a number of storylines that provide ample reasons that would interest even the most casual of fans. The cascade of interest starts with the talented freshmen which are interwoven with the player rotation Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski will implement with the Duke Blue Devils.
Head Coach Leonard Hamilton will be saddled with the responsibility of using the size advantage of the Florida State Seminoles while making sure to diversify their scoring opportunities. Whenever two teams with similar goals meet up with no prospect of a rematch during the regular season, the narrative of the game is heightened.