There’s plenty of optimism around No. 4 Duke thanks to a six-game winning streak and the offensive improvement that came with it. The next stop is back home for Tuesday’s Atlantic Coast Conference clash with Virginia Tech in Durham, N.C.
Duke (10-2, 2-0 ACC) will hold its conference home opener, while Virginia Tech (5-7, 0-1) will play its first league road game.
Duke’s most recent game came with an 82-56 ACC victory Dec. 21 at Georgia Tech, with the Blue Devils shooting a season-high 56.4 percent from the field.
“I think our offense is coming along,” coach Jon Scheyer said. “We’re finding each other’s strengths and understanding how to play together. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time.”
Part of Duke’s boost on the offensive end might come from more comfort with pick-and-roll setups. There’s structure to the Blue Devils’ offense and it has taken time for players to adapt to that.
“It’s important that these guys flow and follow their instincts,” Scheyer said. “We have to be a team that executes. Strategy and calling plays and all of that, is a huge part of what we do. A lot of it, for us, it’s matchups. It’s what we feel can work, based on scouting and all of that.”
Freshman Kon Knueppel has been catching on.
“I do find it really fun to play in the pick-and-roll,” he said. “It’s something I’ve really worked on this summer. I’ve gotten a lot better at it. I enjoy making the right reads. But I wouldn’t say I have too much of a preference.”
Through all this, Knueppel seems to be coming out of his shooting doldrums, which might help the offense perk up. He made four 3-pointers in the Georgia Tech game after going a combined 4-for-18 from beyond the arc in four previous December games.
“It was definitely the worst slump of my life,” Knueppel said. “It was a rough couple of games. But I was trying to find ways to affect the game in other ways. I just felt like I was making a couple shots here and there, but you can’t worry about them.”
Knueppel’s 18 points against Georgia Tech gave him a team-high total for the first time since the first two games of the season.
Duke’s Cooper Flagg has been dubbed the Rookie of the Week four times by the ACC. He averaged 18.5 points and 6.5 rebounds when the Blue Devils defeated George Mason and Georgia Tech.
Virginia Tech has gone 2-7 since a season-opening three-game winning streak. The Hokies also played Dec. 21, falling 82-62 to Saint Joseph’s.
For Virginia Tech guard Jaden Schutt, it will be a return to Cameron Indoor Stadium. He spent two seasons in Duke’s program, though he redshirted last season. He’s averaging 28.8 minutes and 9.3 points per game as a starter for the Hokies.
“I had no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be in Blacksburg,” Schutt wrote in a post on Virginia Tech’s website. “I’m just thankful Virginia Tech felt the same way.”
Tuesday will be the second straight game for the Hokies in an historical venue after meeting Saint Joseph’s at the Palestra in Philadelphia.
“It’s a big deal, starting the game in those first four minutes, setting your tone,” Virginia Tech coach Mike Young said.
–Field Level Media
