Duke Basketball: 3 keys for Blue Devils to beat No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs

Wendell Moore needs to continue his exceptional play

As good as Banchero has been in the first six games, the clear-cut MVP of Duke Basketball so far has been junior forward Wendell Moore. Last season, there were times when he was completely out of the rotation and when five-star wing AJ Griffin committed, he could’ve been a transfer portal candidate.

Instead, Griffin’s preseason knee injury opened up an opportunity for Moore to be a focal point of this year’s roster, which he has and then some. The junior is second on the team in both scoring (17.5 ppg) and rebounding (5.7 rpg), while leading them with 5.7 apg. The scoring and even the rebounding success haven’t been big surprises but the passing and overall consistency have been, including the history triple-double against Army in the second game of the season.

Moore had 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists against Kentucky and that may be the kind of stat line to expect against a tougher opponent in Gonzaga. But he’s going to have to have an impact in every way and potentially play all 40 minutes. That’s because his backup Griffin has played around 12 mpg this season off the bench and outside of the 18-point game against  Lafayette, he hasn’t provided much offensively. And against a team in the Bulldogs that averages over 90 ppg, there may be a rotation that features the best offensive lineups.

Moore not only will have to score but he’ll have his hands full on the defensive end, going up against sophomore Julian Strawther. The 6’7 wing is second on the team with 14.3 ppg on 55% shooting and 48% from deep. He’s fast and can score in many ways and Moore will be tasked with him on the court and if he loses that individual matchup, it could be a long night for Duke.

It may be unfair to put so much pressure on Moore in this one but he’s been that good to start this season. A big game from him and All-American talks will be deserved going forward.