Basketball Defense at Duke Reminds Fans of Previous Championship Blue Devil Teams
Duke basketball’s 54-51 victory over Houston, the top-seeded team, marked its third straight victory as the clock struck zero on Friday night in Dallas’ American Airlines Center. The No. 4 seed Blue Devils are now just one win away from returning to the Final Four.In addition, it was the Blue Devils’ third consecutive outstanding defensive effort, as they had kept their opponent to fewer than 60 points in each and every round of the NCAA Tournament so far.
Additionally, Duke kept all three of their opponents’ season scoring averages below 20 points. Despite Houston scoring 73 points per game, James Madison scoring 84, and Vermont scoring 72, the Blue Devils only allowed these three teams to score 47, 55, and 51 points per.
Even though it could appear to
Additionally, Duke kept all three of their opponents’ season scoring averages below 20 points. Despite Houston scoring 73 points per game, James Madison scoring 84, and Vermont scoring 72, the Blue Devils only allowed these three teams to score 47, 55, and 51 points per.
Although some may believe that Duke basketball’s recent run of strong defensive performances is merely a coincidence, it really matches a historical pattern that could help the team’s chances of winning the championship.
Only twice before this current run have the Blue Devils allowed fewer than 60 points in their opening three March Madness games in the previous fifteen seasons. That had occurred twice before, in 2010 and 2015.
The Blue Devils finished each of those tournament trips as national champions, in case anyone forgot.
Third-year head coach Scheyer, a standout guard on the 2010 squad and an assistant under Mike Krzyzewski in 2015, told the media on Saturday afternoon, “I’m just proud of what we’ve done,” in response to a question about how his team’s defensive capabilities compare to those of the 2010 squad, the 2015 squad, and other all-time Duke defenses from Blue Devil Country on SI. “Your first priority should be to protect the ball. Our perimeter has performed admirably.
