FanPost

Box Score Junkie; Duke's numbers don't lie

This is a winnable game for the Red Storm. The Blue Devils come in with a team that matches up well with the Johnnies. Duke is mainly going to play a three man backcourt led by freshman point guard Tyus Jones who is coming off a 22 point game in a win against Pitt.

Senior Quinn Cook is the off guard and averages 14 ppg, second best on the team while junior Rasheed Sulaimon is a sniper off the bench and can heat up quickly. He averages just under eight a game but players like him tend to heat up under the bright lights of the garden.

Freshman Jahlil Okafor leads the Devils with 18.6 ppg and 8.9 boards but he is going to be haunted by Sir Dom and Obekpa and could be in for a battle. Justice Wilnslow, a 6-6 freshman from Houston who averages 11.1 ppg and 4.8 rebounds along with 6-9 junior Amile Jefferson out of Philly will be battling alongside Okafor inside. Jefferson averages 8.9 points and 7.7 boards.

There will be a sprinkle of Matt Jones or Marshall Plumlee which gives Duke more depth up front but this game will be decided by the guard play and foul trouble. If St. John's can stay out of it and keep their best players on the floor they have very good chance to pull the upset.

Duke is led by a freshman at the point and although he is coming off a strong game vs. Pitt he struggled mightily in Duke's two recent losses Jan 11th at NC State and Jan 13th at home to Miami. The hurricanes beat Duke by 16 in a game where Tyus Jones shot 2-9 from the field going 0-3 from behind the arc. He managed only two assists and scored 6 points. Miami got 23 off the bench from Manu Lecomte.

Two Days earlier against NC State Jones shot 1-6, 0-3 from three, had 4 points and 4 assists. After two straight losses Duke went to Louisville and in a low scoring battle up front, Jones scored ten with eight assists getting the Blue Devils off the schnide.

Dukes formula for winning and putting up points seems to revolve around the ebbs and flows of the mercurial freshman. In the teams last game against Pitt he finally got off the snide from behind the arc and hit 4-6 going 7-11 from the field overall.

If Jones plays well and is hitting threes it could be a big day for the Blue Devils. On the other hand if SJU's guard combo of Harrison, Jordan, and Greene can shoot well and put the clamps on the Duke guards on defense it could be a banner day for the rising Red Storm. One key factor I did not touch on will be the health of D'Angelo Harrison. I didn't touch on it because I don't think a kid as tough as D'Angelo will let it be an issue. Expect a big time performance from the seniors especially Dom who I think will have the game of his life today.

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