Duke @ Miami preview
Watsco Center
Last Meeting ( Jan 21, 2020 ) Miami-Florida 59, Duke 89
The Duke Blue Devils, college basketball royalty for decades, have struggled to gain momentum this season.
Their longest win streak has been three games, which was immediately followed by a three-game losing streak.
The Blue Devils (7-5, 5-3) have won two in a row heading into Monday night's Atlantic Coast Conference game at short-handed Miami (6-10, 2-9), which has lost four straight games.
The Hurricanes are down to just six scholarship players due mostly to injuries, but also because top freshman Matt Cross left the program last week.
Since the second game of the season, Miami has been without its leading scorer from 2019-20, Chris Lykes, due to a lingering ankle injury. Elijah Olaniyi and Earl Timberlake -- both starter-caliber players -- have shoulder injuries. Former starters Sam Waardenburg and Rodney Miller are out for the season with foot and knee injuries, respectively.
"We're very beat up," Miami coach Jim Larranaga said. "We don't have a lot of weapons right now."
Given Miami's injury status, Monday marks a golden opportunity for Duke to win its third straight game.
Duke is led in part by DJ Steward, a true freshman who scored 24 points in his collegiate debut. He has twice been named ACC Freshman of the Week and is second on the team in scoring (13.4).
Matthew Hurt leads Duke in scoring (18.7) and rebounding (7.8).
"We're a good team with great kids who are trying to get through this whole (COVID) thing without the experience of a fall and an exhibition and some non-conference games," said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who starts two freshmen, two sophomore and one senior.
"With a younger team like ours, it may take longer to develop."
Jalen Johnson, another freshman, is third on the team in scoring (12.0).
" He keeps getting better," Krzyzewski said of Johnson. "He is a really good talent who is trying to become a good player."
As for Miami's healthy players, Isaiah Wong leads the team in scoring (17.4) and Nysier Brooks leads in rebounds (6.2). Wong, however, turned his ankle in Saturday's loss to Wake Forest and his status is unknown.
Kameron McGusty, who is averaging 12.2 points in his nine games, has been big for Miami since returning from a hamstring injury.
The Blue Devils were 15-2 in this series before Larranaga arrived to coach the Hurricanes. Since then, Duke is a more modest 7-5 against Miami.
--Field Level Media