After a disheartening loss to No. 12 Arizona Friday, No. 2 Duke men’s basketball will look to bounce back against No. 4 Michigan State. Before the contest, the Blue Zone highlights a player from each team who could be the difference-maker Tuesday night:
One would be tempted to downplay the significance of Jared McCain to this Duke team when examining only the box scores. The rookie guard is scoring 8.5 points per game on 40% shooting, which is a respectable but unremarkable average. Still, it’s evident to anyone who saw the Arizona game on Friday night that he deserves to have a breakthrough game.
McCain played with a level of calm that was appropriate for a seasoned player at numerous crucial points during the game. His four defensive rebounds over guys who were almost a foot taller than him, along with his team-high three thefts, gave the Blue Devils a boost in the second half. In addition, he contributed nine points to his total and co-led the team in assists with five, capping an impressive performance that solidified his status as a multifaceted player as opposed to merely a pure
McCain appeared to be at the centre of the squad’s efforts whenever they were able to turn the tide in their favour. He was a game-changer in the closing minutes, whether it was with a brilliant pass to fellow guard Jeremy Roach or a solid defensive play. Although difficult to measure, this kind of clutch production is essential when facing elite competition. McCain will start to appear towards the top of rival scouting reports as the shots begin to fall more frequently.
His calmness and hustle will be crucial against the Spartans on Tuesday, as Duke looks to establish itself as one of the best teams in the country early in the season.
Michigan State: Walker Tyson
After just two games, Tyson Walker, a graduate student at Michigan State, has already established himself as one of the country’s best bucket-getters, averaging 24.5 points while shooting 54.5%. Walker’s effort in the Spartans’ surprising first-day defeat to James Madison was largely praised by the fan base. Against the Dukes, the 6-foot-1 guard scored 35 points, pulled down five rebounds, and stole six steals. In Michigan State’s victory over Southern Indiana, he cooled off a little bit, scoring 14 points on 85.7% shooting from the field.
With his performance from beyond the arc, where he is shooting an icy 14.3%, Walker’s performance has been one of the few areas of his game that has raised concerns thus far. Nevertheless, over the first four years of his collegiate career, he shot 39% from downtown, demonstrating his ability as a 3-point shooter.
Walker will undoubtedly contribute significantly to the Spartan offence, thus it is the duty of the whole Blue Devil team to restrict his effect. He has demonstrated the ability to score from midrange and in the paint, so he won’t be without his three-point shot indefinitely. This amount of output will surely cause problems for Duke if it continues. The Blue Devils might very easily win their second game of the season in Chicago if they can contain Walker’s attempts.
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