Duke Needs To Fix Struggling Area by Saturday

Duke currently ranks fifth nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and fourth in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. The only other program ranked inside the top five of both those metrics is No. 1 Arizona.

For the most part, Jon Scheyer's team has been fairly consistent on the offensive side of the ball, but much of that has to do with getting the ball inside at will. Scheyer has previously said that his team works best offensively when it works inside out, and the Blue Devils have been executing that nearly perfectly as of late.

Over Duke's last five games, it has outscored its opponents 218-88 in the paint, a +130 margin. The Blue Devils have allowed one opponent over that stretch to eclipse 20 paint points. However, against a UNC team that can match the length of Duke better than maybe any other team in the nation, the Blue Devils will need to be cleaner on the outside.

Duke Struggling From the Perimeter As of Late

The Blue Devils haven't forced threes over this dominant stretch, and they haven't needed to with how solid they've been inside.

Over the team's last five games, where it is +130 in paint points relative to its opponents, it has also shot the three at just a 29-of-97 (29.9%) clip. Isaiah Evans has been cold, but it hasn't really mattered, given Duke's elite performance on offense and as a whole defensively.

However, the Blue Devils may need to utilize the three-point line more against the Heels.

UNC Could Make Duke’s Life Difficult Inside

The Tar Heels have struggled as an all-around defensive team, ranking just 56th nationally at KenPom in adjusted defensive efficiency and 184th in opponent three-point percentage (34.1).

But, with the fantastic frontcourt duo of Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson, North Carolina ranks fifth in the country in opponent two-point field goal percentage (44.0).

Duke will still get to use the paint and could very well still win that department against UNC. Although, with the Heels being one of the very few teams that can actually match Duke down low, the three-point shot will be all the more important.

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