No. 7 Duke is currently showcasing its peak performance in basketball, which is attributable to both expertise and the mindset it has adopted during an eight-game winning streak.
The Blue Devils (13-3, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) seek to prolong their upward trajectory as they confront a struggling Pittsburgh team in a league match on Saturday night in Durham, N.C.
The Panthers (10-7, 1-5) have succumbed in their previous two encounters, including a 75-53 defeat at home to the Blue Devils on January 9. They face a formidable challenge in a venue where Duke has suffered only one loss this season in 10 appearances.
According to Duke coach Jon Scheyer, the team has shown significant mental progress after enduring consecutive losses to Arkansas and Georgia Tech in late November and early December.
“To see the growth, to see the mental makeup of the guys on this team, they’re tough,” Scheyer told the News & Observer in Raleigh. “I’m talking mental toughness, not just physical toughness on the court. I’m really proud of the growth we’ve made and really since that game. I do think we’ve been a different team.”
Kyle Filipowski has been leading the charge for the Blue Devils, averaging 18.2 points per game and being one of five players on the team with 15 or more successful 3-pointers this season. He has made 21.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Roach has made 24 successful shots from beyond the arc and in addition, has an average of 14.6 points per game.
Duke limited Pitt to a 32.8 percent shooting accuracy from the field in their initial meeting, marking the lowest points conceded by Duke so far this season. During that game, Duke had an effective 3-point shot, securing 11 successful attempts.
Filipowski spearheaded Duke’s performance with 26 points (with a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range) and 10 rebounds.
The Panthers experienced a subsequent loss, falling 69-58 at home to Syracuse on Tuesday. They will need to turn their scoring capabilities around when facing Duke, which has scored 80 points or more in five of its recent games and has an average of 82.0 points per game while conceding 66.1 points this season.
Pittsburgh has an average of 76.3 points per game this season, conceding an average of 66.2 points. Blake Hinson has been the leading scorer, with an average of 18.1 points per game and achieving 20 or more points in seven games this season.
However, he only managed to score 12 points against Syracuse. Meanwhile, Carlton Carrington, Pitt’s second top scorer with an average of 13.5 points per game, failed to score at all.
Panthers coach Jeff Capel is striving to find solutions to rejuvenate his team after their poor shooting performance, scoring only 35.4 percent from the field and 19.2 percent (5 out of 26) from 3-point range against Syracuse.
The Panthers have maintained a 42.6 percent shooting accuracy over the season.
“That’s something I’m trying to figure out, the (right) buttons to push,” Capel told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“Obviously, what I have done hasn’t worked yet. I’m going to continue to try. We’re going to continue to believe in them, encourage them and tell them the truth. But we have to be mentally tougher and physically tougher.”
