Syracuse Basketball vs. Duke: 4 Keys to the Game
By David Stone
Limit the Turnovers
Turnovers have been an issue all year for Syracuse basketball. Gbinije, Cooney, Roberson, Richardson, you name it, they’ve all committed them in bulk at times this year. That can’t happen against a team like Duke.
Duke thrives on the fast break, and they will feast on SU in transition if we let them. They might not be a great defensive team overall, but they are very good at creating turnovers and getting easy buckets. Syracuse can’t allow that to happen.
It all starts with Gbinije. He needs to do a much better of job of protecting the basketball and not telegraphing his passes. Far too many times he’s been careless and given up an easy steal, or tried to pass inside only to have it deflected. He needs to make smart decisions and if the pass isn’t there, he needs to take his time and find the open man.
Syracuse will have it’s hands full this game, but they can definitely pull out a win. Duke is a great offensive team, but their defense leaves a lot to be desired. They’ve given up 70 or more points nine times this season. They’ve given up 80 or more three times and even gave up 95 against Notre Dame. In comparison, SU has allowed 80 points just once, and 70 or more only six times. They’ve never given up more than 83.
Next: SU Basketball is in the Midst of a Tough Road Trip
If Syracuse can keep this game in the 60s or 70s, they have a real chance to win. I think that’s completely possible as long as Duke doesn’t catch fire from the outside. This might not be Syracuse’s best defense ever, but it is still solid.
In the end, I think Syracuse pulls out the victory. I think they carry the confidence from the huge Wake Forest win and take it to Duke early. Duke will mount a comeback, but it will be too little, too late, and Syracuse will end up with a 77-75 victory.
Check back after the game for some detailed analysis. If you don’t get a chance to watch, follow us on Twitter as I will be live tweeting the game.