Opponent preview: What to know about No. 16 Duke

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Producing a season-best 52-point performance, Syracuse’s bench propelled it to an 81-73 victory over Pittsburgh on Dec. 30. The win marked SU’s fifth straight and was its first in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Totaling four double-digit scorers, Quadir Copeland led the Orange with a career-high 22 points while Benny Williams and Maliq Brown tacked on 15 each. Though Syracuse trailed 38-30 at halftime, it outscored the Panthers 51-35 across the final 20 minutes to complete a valiant comeback.

“I just thought we had a level of aggression to fight to get back in, and once we got back in we kept going, we kept going,” SU head coach Adrian Autry said of his team’s second-half effort. “I just thought we settled in and just defended and rebounded the ball.”

The Orange’s next challenge is an away contest against ACC foe Duke. Since suffering a surprise 72-68 defeat at Georgia Tech on Dec. 2, the Blue Devils hold a four-game win streak and are coming off of a 106-69 dismantling of Queens.

Here’s everything you need to know about Syracuse (10-3, 1-1 ACC) and No. 14 Duke (9-3, 0-1 ACC) before their showdown at Cameron Indoor on Tuesday:

All-time series

Duke leads, 15-6.

Last time they played

Despite setting a 2022-23 NCAA record crowd of 31,063 fans at the JMA Wireless Dome on Feb. 18, 2023, the Orange fell to Duke 77-55.

Jeremy Roach and Kyle Filipowski, who have both returned for head coach Jon Scheyer’s side this season, combined for 31 points while now-Brooklyn Net forward Dariq Whitehead added 14. Then-Syracuse guard Joe Girard III tallied a team-high 21 points, yet the Orange couldn’t slow down an efficient Duke offense which finished shooting 54.5% from the field and entered halftime with a commanding 40-27 lead.

The SU defeat snapped a three-game win streak and extended its drought against the Blue Devils to eight consecutive losses dating back to the 2018-19 campaign.

KenPom odds

Duke has an 88% chance of winning, with a projected score of 83-69.

The Blue Devils report

Barring a couple of unexpected results versus GT and Arkansas, Duke has lived up to expectations. It played now-No. 10 ranked Arizona tightly in a 78-73 defeat, picked up an invaluable confidence-building victory over then-No. 18 Michigan State and handed then-No. 10 Baylor its first loss on Dec. 20.

The Blue Devils possess an enviable balance of experience and young talent. Their freshman class, highlighted by consensus 5-star guard Jared McCain, ranked second in the country. They returned nine players from a 2023 ACC Tournament-winning roster.

Duke primarily shapes its offense around Filipowski, an NBA-ready, sophomore forward. Equipped with a dangerous outside shot and a tight handle, even when the 7-footer isn’t converting, he draws enough attention to provide teammates with a flurry of wide-open looks. Senior guard Roach, who averages 14.3 points per game, can swish home said opportunities, while McCain has developed into a regular profiteer after registering a career-high 24 points on four 3’s last time out.

Another prominent storyline, which increases the number of weapons Scheyer has at his disposal, is the return of Tyrese Proctor — a potential 2024 NBA Draft lottery pick. The guard underwent an ankle injury during Duke’s loss to Georgia Tech but played 18 minutes and notched nine points against Queens.

How Syracuse beats Duke

It’s no secret that Syracuse needs to play near-perfect. Proctor’s reintroduction to the Blue Devils’ rotation gives them four professional-grade shot creators. SU is a younger team. There’s an evident talent gap.

The Orange must play physically. Turnovers must be limited. They have to win the rebounding battle. Better, more influential performances from the continuously improving Naheem McLeod will be vital as the matchup’s tallest player. If McLeod can’t contain Filipowski’s quickness in a likely mismatch around the perimeter, Brown must lengthen his recent slew of impressive performances on both offense and defense.

Syracuse’s backups have to step up, again. Steady output from Copeland, Williams, and potentially Kyle Cuffe Jr., can relieve pressure from Judah Mintz and J.J. Starling. Starting wings Justin Taylor and Chris Bell need to find rhythm in their outside shooting, as the last time both finished in double-digit scoring together was an 81-70 win over Cornell on Dec. 5.

A shot at SU’s first Quad 1 win since the 2020-21 season is within reach. But unless all-around attention to detail is realized throughout, another Duke blowout victory is the probable outcome.

Stat to know: 56.4

Spearheaded by Filipowski, and reinforced primarily by fellow sophomore forward Mark Mitchell (11.2 points per game), 56.4% of Duke’s baskets are 2-pointers, which ranks 23rd nationally.
The Blue Devils shoot 36.5% from 3 — fourth-best in the ACC — but prefer opportunities from inside the arc. Even when discounting Filipowski and Mitchell’s prowess around the rim, Roach and McCain are prolific mid-range jump shooters.

Defensively, Syracuse sees success if it clogs the middle and forces a rushed, long-range attempt. Maybe Autry opts early for a 2-3 zone front. The Orange also hold second place in blocks per game (5.33), which could influence this showdown early and often.

Player to watch: Jared McCain, guard, No. 0

A former McDonald’s All-American and two-time Gatorade California Player of the Year honoree, McCain is a prolific three-level scorer. The freshman possesses a knockdown stroke but is more than capable of creating his own shot off the dribble. McCain has started in every game for Duke this year and averages just over 11 points a contest.