Ahead of Syracuse’s (11-5, 2-1 Atlantic Coast) matchup with No. 1 Duke (14-1, 3-0) on Monday at Cameron Indoor Stadium, The Daily Orange connected with Stephen Wiseman. Wiseman, a Duke beat writer for The News & Observer in Raleigh, addressed the No. 1 Blue Devils, the possibility of a Syracuse win, and how Duke’s defense has turned heads in recent weeks.

The Daily Orange: Let’s start with what Syracuse fans want to know most: How can the Orange come away with an upset? Where are the Blue Devils most vulnerable?

Stephen Wiseman: Prior to Saturday’s win at Florida State, I would have said perimeter shooting. Duke has not been a good 3-point shooting team this season, hitting only 33 percent of its 3s. Duke made 11-of-24 against FSU, with Cam Reddish hitting 5-of-8. That performance looks like an outlier. The Blue Devils get to prove if that assessment is true or not against the Orange’s 2-3 zone.

The D.O.: Is there any indication that Duke can shred apart the 2-3 zone, just as it has with most man-to-man defenses? Or might they struggle a bit, at least early on?

S.W.: A team has to be super athletic to play man-to-man for 40 minutes against Duke. The Blue Devils are so long and athletic they create matchup problems all over the court. Zion Williamson’s availability will be key against Syracuse because Duke puts him in the middle of the zone to make things happen either by a pass or move to the basket. R.J. Barrett is also adept there. Both can pass, shoot or drive. But, back to the 3-point shooting, Duke will need Reddish and Jack White to hit their 3-pointers to make things easy against the Orange.

The D.O.: Besides the big names, which Duke player has surprised you most this season?

S.W.: Has to be junior Jack White. He wasn’t a factor in his first two seasons. But he’s playing enough minutes to be considered a sixth starter this season. At a sturdy 6-7, White takes care of the ball, is Duke’s top 3-point shooter (38.6 percent) and has become a solid defender. He blocked five shots against Wake Forest last week.

The D.O.: How would you assess the Duke defense and its progression since opening night?

S.W.: To me, this the biggest story of the season for Duke. They are back to playing the kind of tough man-to-man defense Krzyzewski loves to coach. Tre Jones is such a good on-ball defender that Krzyzewski has compared him to Bobby Hurley and Steve Wojciechowski. Jones sets the tone, allowing Barrett, Williamson and Reddish to use their length to get into passing lanes for steals that fuel Duke’s transition offense. The Blue Devils also lead the nation in blocked shots per game (7.9).

The D.O.: These teams played real close last year in the Sweet 16. But last season in Cameron Indoor, Duke handled SU with ease. Who do you think wins Monday night, and why?

S.W.: After how the two teams played on Saturday, Duke looks like a heavy favorite. But we know that’s not how things work in the ACC. If Duke doesn’t shoot well from the outside and Williamson is limited, Syracuse could pull the upset. This Duke team is tough-minded, though. I anticipate a Blue Devils win. This team plays together and has a gear Duke has lacked since the last title team in 2015.

Published on January 13, 2019 at 9:50 pm