3 BC Players Deserving of Duke’s Full Attention

Boozer also received an unexpected boost from Maliq Brown. Brown delivered one of his best performances in a Blue Devil uniform, finishing with 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field and 1-of-4 from beyond the arc. The outing tied his career high at Duke and marked the first time he attempted double-digit shots in a game.

Now, Duke will look to extend its winning streak to 10 games with a home matchup against Boston College. To do so, the Blue Devils will need to pay close attention to several key players for the Eagles.

Fred Payne

Payne has been at Boston College for three seasons and has steadily improved each year. After suffering an injury during his freshman season, he appeared in 30 games as a redshirt freshman and provided solid production off the bench.

This season, Payne has emerged as the Eagles’ leading scorer, averaging 15.2 points per game while shooting 41% from the field and 36% from three-point range. Against Virginia, Payne scored 17 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

Donald Hand Jr.

Hand is another long-tenured Eagle who has developed consistently throughout his career. Like Payne, Hand missed his freshman season due to a season-ending injury and redshirted.

After averaging just five points per game in his first full season, Hand made a significant leap the following year, posting 15.7 points per contest. This season, his scoring has dipped slightly to around 14 points per game, while his shooting efficiency has declined to 33% from the field and 22% from three-point range.

Despite the struggles, Hand has shown improvement in recent games. In the loss to Virginia, he recorded 20 points, four assists, and six rebounds, showcasing his all-around ability.

Boden Kapke

After spending his first two seasons at Butler, Kapke transferred to Boston College and has taken on a larger role with the Eagles. He is averaging a career-high 9.5 points per game while shooting 47.5% from the field.

Kapke has also shown progress from beyond the arc, shooting 27% on two attempts per game, giving Boston College another scoring option to complement Payne and Hand.

With Cameron Boozer continuing to dominate and key contributors like Maliq Brown stepping up, Duke enters the matchup against Boston College with strong momentum. However, the Eagles’ trio of Payne, Hand, and Kapke present a balanced scoring threat that could challenge the Blue Devils if left unchecked. If Duke can maintain its defensive intensity and limit Boston College’s perimeter production, it should be well-positioned to secure its tenth straight victory.

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