Maryland vs. Duke: Keys for Blue Devils to Get Bounce-Back Win
Duke hosts Maryland as the Blue Devils look to bounce back from their embarrassing 90-63 loss to Miami on Wednesday night. After starting the season 15-0, Duke has lost two of three games to fall to 16-2 on the year. Maryland (15-4) is looking for their biggest win of the year after beating N.C. State 51-50.
Duke needs to get back on track and get their rhythm back against Maryland. After this game, Duke goes on the road for five of their next seven games.
Knock Down Shots
In their loss to Miami, Duke shot the ball awfully (4-of-23) from three. Sharp-shooter Seth Curry was 0-of-5 from three and 0-of-10 overall. It's hard to imagine Duke could shoot the ball worse than they did in that game.
Playing at home should also help them out in this regard.
If they can hit some shots, Duke shouldn't have a problem against Maryland. This team relies on their three-point shooting. If they make shots, it will open up the rest of the offense and put pressure on the Maryland defense.
The more points Duke scores, the harder it will be for the Terps to hang around.
Control Home Court
Duke has been great at home this season, posting a 10-0 record with an average margin of victory of 22.1 points per game. Against Maryland, they need to utilize the home-court advantage. Feeding off the crowd and using the familiar sight-lines are absolutely key.
After losing two of three games, the Blue Devils need a focused performance. Playing at home gives them the opportunity to be fully keyed in and ready to go.
Execute the Offense
Duke needs to continue to execute their offense and get good shots, whether they fall or not. The temptation during a shooting slump is to get frustrated with the offense. If the shooting woes continue into this game against Maryland, Duke just needs to stay patient and believe the shots will fall eventually.
The Blue Devils need to run Seth Curry off screens and get him opportunities to burn the Maryland defense. That should open up the defense and allow Duke to feed Mason Plumlee. That inside-outside game should help Duke dominate.
