No. 14 Duke will seek to extend its winning run against Notre Dame on Saturday evening at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Indiana. After 20 minutes, the Blue Devils have work to do in order to maintain their successful run, narrowly leading the Fighting Irish 29-27.
Proctor still out of starting lineup
Despite playing in Duke’s last two games, sophomore guard Tyrese Proctor came off the bench for the third time this season on Saturday evening. However, the group of Caleb Foster, Jared McCain, Jeremy Roach, Mark Mitchell, and Kyle Filipowski is 5-0 and has done an excellent job on both sides of the court. Proctor came off the bench but struggled to build on his 14-point outburst against Syracuse, failing to score. Foster has been serviceable if unremarkable in his absence, scoring a triple in the first half.
Road struggles continue
Duke has suffered two of its three losses on the road this season, and the Blue Devils have yet to win a real road game. Duke lost its first ACC game to a lesser opponent in Georgia Tech, and the Blue Devils struggled to get started against Notre Dame as well. Duke struggled from beyond the arc, going 3-for-14, reminiscent of their chilly shooting performance against the Yellow Jackets. Filipowski did not make a shot from the field, while the team as a whole shot 31%. In addition, the Fighting Irish outscored the Blue Devils 14-8 in the paint.
Trouble with Burton
Markus Burton is enjoying a terrific freshman season and has been one of the Fighting Irish’s few bright lights on offence. He proved his ability to score from all three levels against the Blue Devils, scoring nine points in the first half. Burton is averaging 16.1 points per game this season, making things difficult for Duke’s defence. He also showcased his passing ability by making some beautiful inside passes to teammates. However, after scoring seven points early, the Blue Devils improved their defence in the second half.
Uncharacteristic sloppiness
The Blue Devils have done an excellent job of ball control this season, but in the first few minutes against the Fighting Irish, Duke made some unforced errors. The squad concluded with nine turnovers in the half, giving Notre Dame more confidence in its home territory. Duke is only averaging 9.1 turnovers per game this season, but Notre Dame has one of the league’s best defences and showed it in the first half. However, the Blue Devils did well to limit the damage, with the Fighting Irish scoring only four points off turnovers.
Player of the half: Jeremy Roach
In a half in which Duke struggled immensely from the field, Roach was a consistent presence on offence. He went 4-for-6 from the field, including a triple. This excludes a 3-pointer that went in but was called back due to an offensive foul. The senior guard has been a consistent weapon this season, frequently making critical shots when the team needed them the most. If the Blue Devils are to emerge victorious, the Leesburg, Va. native will undoubtedly play a key role.
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