Preview: #3 Duke Blue Devils (14-2, 6-0 ACC) vs. Miami Hurricanes (4-12, 0-5 ACC)

#3 Duke Blue Devils (14-2, 6-0 ACC) vs. Miami Hurricanes (4-12, 0-5 ACC)

Tuesday, Jan. 14 • 9 p.m. ET
Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314) • Durham, N.C.

TV: ESPN
Radio: Blue Devil Sports Network from LEARFIELD

The No. 3 Duke Blue Devils end a three-game stint at home against Miami on Tuesday, Jan. 14. The Blue Devils (14-2, 6-0 ACC) and Hurricanes (4-12, 0-5 ACC) tip-off at 9 p.m., on ESPN.

TV/Video Stream ESPN
Play-by-Play Wes Durham
Analyst Cory Alexander
Reporter Myron Medcalf
Producer Kim Belton
Director Adam Bryant

Radio Blue Devil Sports Network
Play-by-Play David Shumate
Analyst John Roth
Engineer John Rose
In Durham 96.5 FM & 620 AM
SiriusXM 158 or 193

Overall Duke leads, 26-10
In Durham, N.C. Duke leads, 12-3
at Cameron Indoor Stadium Duke leads, 12-3
In Coral Gables, Fla. Duke leads, 10-7
at Watsco Center Duke leads, 8-6
Neutral Sites Duke leads, 4-0
Last Meeting Duke 84, @Miami 55 (Feb. 21, 2024)

Miami is currently 4-12 overall and 0-5 within the ACC, they are currently on a 5 game losing streak. Bill Courtney is serving as Miami’s interim head coach. Jim Larrañaga, Miami’s all-time winningest head coach, announced he was stepping down as head coach on Dec. 26, 2024. Miami is among the ACC’s top shooting squads, ranking fourth in the conference in field goal percentage (.472) and third in free throw percentage (.775). Miami commits just 15.1 fouls per contest, which is second in the ACC and 45th in the nation.

Matthew Cleveland has led the Hurricanes in scoring in their last six outings, averaging 20.5 points per game during that stretch. Overall the Canes are led by injured guard Nijel Pack at 13.9 per game, Cleveland is a tic below at 13.5. Pack hasn’t played since December 10th against Tennessee. Lynn Kidd is ninth among the ACC’s leading rebounders with 118 caroms, averaging 7.4 boards per game, including 2.8 on the offensive glass, which ranks seventh in the league.

The Blue Devils own a 41-3 record at home in three seasons under Jon Scheyer and have won 10 straight games, the second-longest active winning streak in the nation. Duke’s 6-0 start in ACC play is the best by the Blue Devils since the 2007-08 season (10-0).

The Blue Devils rank fifth in the country in field goal percentage defense (.365), sixth in scoring defense (59.6), fourth in scoring margin (+20.8), 17th in assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.65) and 26th in three-pointers per game (10.2) – all top marks in the ACC. Duke is the only team in the country ranked among the top-seven in both offensive (7th) and defensive efficiency (2nd), according to KenPom. They are the only Division I team to score 80 points or more per game (80.4) and hold its opponents to fewer than 60 points per game (59.6). Cooper Flagg, who turned 18 years old on Dec. 21, tops Duke in points (305), rebounds (133), assists (63), steals (25) and blocked shots (20). Flagg broke the Duke and ACC freshman scoring records with 42 points versus Notre Dame (Jan. 11), and became the youngest player in NCAA history to have a 40-point game, according to Real Sports. Flagg’s 27-point second half against Notre Dame (Jan. 11) is the highest-scoring half by a Blue Devil since Luke Kennard posted 30 points in the second half at Wake Forest (Jan. 28, 2017).

Flagg leads the Blue Devils in scoring (19.1), rebounding (8.3), assists (3.9), steals (1.6) and blocks per game (1.3). The Blue Devils boast 2 other double-figure scorers in Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor. Knueppel is averaging 12.7 points per contest and 2.8 assists. Proctor is averaging 11.1 points per game and shooting the 42% from beyond the arc for the Blue Devils this season.

*Duke will be without Maliq Brown for the foreseeable future due to a knee injury suffered against Notre Dame.

PG Sion James 6’6, 220lbs – Grad Transfer
SG Tyrese Proctor 6’6, 183lbs – Junior
SF Kon Knueppel 6’7, 217lbs – Freshman
PF Cooper Flagg 6’9, 205lbs – Freshman
C Khaman Maluach 7’2, 250lbs – Freshman

G Austin Swartz 6’4, 200lbs – Freshman
G Jalil Bathea 6’5, 190lbs – Freshman
G Matthew Cleveland 6’7, 210lbs – Senior
F Brandon Johnson 6’8, 223lbs – Senior
F Lynn Kidd 6’10, 241lbs – Grad Student

Miami may be a team in transition obviously with an interim coach and one of their best players, at least at the time of this post, being out (Nijel Pack), but they are a team of BIG shot makers. Matthew Cleveland leads the way, and he’s a guard / wing that can score the basketball at each level and at 6’7 he can get his at the rim as well as beyond the arc. Jalil Bathea has had a good rookie season in the ACC so far, and he’s another shot maker that can operate at all three levels. Duke has to be aware of shooters, especially as Miami attacks the basket to draw the defense in, they will kick to those capable shooters. Lynn Kidd mans the interior, and he has an excellent back to the basket game, he’s long and has a nice hook shot that he can hit with either hand. Kidd can always get his a few feet from the basket, Duke’s bigs have to be aware of how he operates. Duke will be without Maliq Brown, so I expect the Hurricanes to go at Khaman Maluach any chance they get to put fouls on the Duke big man.  I haven’t been super impressed with Miami’s defense thus far, but I expect them to get up for the game at Cameron, knowing they need a huge victory to save their season.