Duke vs Syracuse 2/22/17: Preview
A tale of two teams is the simplest way to describe it.
The blazing Blue Devils of Duke University look to make it 8 straight wins as they head to the Carrier Dome to face a Syracuse team that's only consistency is being inconsistent.
Syracuse is currently 16-12 overall and 8-7 in ACC play, tied with UVA and VT for 7th place in the ACC standings. The Men in Orange have seen their fair share of high ups and low downs. They have beat upper tier ACC rivals such as FSU and UVA, but have also lost to Boston College, who is currently last in-conference, and lost to Pitt., who is 4-10 in conference. With a win tonight, 'Cuse would halt their 3 game losing skid, but they will need their big names to show up.
Keys for Syracuse: 6'9'' Sophomore foward, Tyler Lydon, will need to live up to his past home game performances. Lydon is most comfortable when he is at the Carrier Dome playing in front of 35,446 of his best friends. Since December 10th, Lydon has scored in double figures in every home game except for one. If Syracuse wants to win at home tonight they will need a heavy dosage of him. Also, the 6'7'' transfer, Andrew White III, has to show up tonight. It is no secret to anyone he can score the ball with the best of them but he will need to be efficient from behind the arc in order to match Duke's shooting abilities.
Why does Syracuse need this?: Syracuse needs this because March is creeping up on them and they need to start picking up the pace before they find themselves spiraling out of control ahead of the NCAA tournament. They are currently riding a 3 game losing streak and there is no better remedy to cure that than a huge statement win over the Blue Devils.
Duke, on the other hand, is just looking for a team that can stop them.
The Blue Devils sit a game behind UNC for the top spot in the ACC and 22-5 overall. They shoot an impressive 48.5% from the field which is among the nations' top 25.
After losing by two points to NC State back on January 23rd, Duke has yet to lose a game. They have won 7 straight games, including huge wins over ACC foes UNC, UVA, and Notre Dame. A key ingredient to this winning formula would be the stellar play of freshman Jayson Tatum, who never fails to disappoint. In his last 2 contests for Duke, Tatum has posted an average of 23.5 points per game. On the season he averages 16.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. To me, this is a guy who doesn't shy away from the spotlight.
Keys for Duke: Obviously, the Blue Devils will need another great performance out of freshman Jayson Taytum, who is currently playing like a top 10 NBA draft pick. Luke Kennard, who usually doesn't get the recognition he deserves as the leader of this Duke team, will have another chance to prove why he has taken that role on, as Duke will need his usual flood of 3 ball's. Last but not least, Grayson Allen will surely put on another great show as he should be able to score from the outside against this Syracuse 2-3 zone.
Why does Duke need this?: Duke needs this because if they win tonight they will be tied for first in the ACC and continue their dominant success. The road does not get any easier for Duke so they will settle for whatever they can get tonight, whether that be a blow out or a nail biter.
I fully expect Syracuse to play gritty and give Duke a run for their money but the Blue Devils will return home with their 8th straight win.
