With great wins yesterday, Duke and Auburn will take the court tonight in a Top-10 battle. Duke had knocked off San Diego State 90-64 in the first round of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. And for Auburn, they took care of Xavier 88-79 in overtime, barely sliding by in the final minutes.
How Duke Can Win
For Duke, they need to make sure that their big three of Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, and Cam Reddish are all ready to go. These three are all poised to make a run for the NBA Draft and will most likely go in the first round. Also, they need to grab boards and keep a high defensive pressure on this Auburn team to cause turnovers. If Duke can stay on this game plan that they usually follow, then they will have no problem.
How Auburn Can Win
Auburn can take down the Goliath by minimizing turnovers and taking smart shots. Last game, we saw Auburn and Xavier go back and forth with shot misses. This really took away any momentum the Tigers had built and really balances the field of play. Also, if Auburn can keep their steals and ball movement up, they should have a better chance against Duke’s physical defense. Look for Auburn to also slow down the game speed to take away from the big three’s momentum.
Players to Watch
Duke: Zion Williamson will give Duke any large marginal chance at winning tonight. Williamson’s ability to go up and grab boards from missing shots will push Duke ahead. Also, his ability to score with his physicality will need to be taken into account for Auburn.
Auburn: Jared Harper needs to lead this Auburn tot a victory against Duke. Harper’s knows how to move the ball around the floor and needs to exploit that against a lock-down Duke defense. Also, Harper needs to take smart 3-point shots and keep his shot selection as clean as possible.
Score Prediction
Duke is on a roll and seeming to end every team in their path. And after last game, I am not sure that Auburn is deserving of that No. 8 ranking they flash. I think Duke takes advantage of an Auburn team that likes to shot everything possible. Duke 87, Auburn 76
Photo Credits: https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2018/8/20/17757634/zion-williamson-college-basketball-next-mega-star
