Duke @ Pittsburgh preview

Duke at Pittsburgh

Last Meeting ( Feb 4, 2017 ) Pittsburgh 64, Duke 72

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski doesn't need to be told his team needs to get better, specifically on defense. After surrendering close to 100 points to a North Carolina State team which was coming off an embarrassing loss to Notre Dame, the sixth-ranked Blue Devils will get a chance to regroup Wednesday when they visit a young Pittsburgh squad that is just trying to find its footing.

Marvin Bagley III (22.5 points, 11.5 rebounds) scored 31 and grabbed 10 rebounds while Duke connected on 51.7 percent from the field, but the Wolfpack shot 50.7 percent, outrebounded Duke 34-32 and committed just 10 turnovers in dropping the Blue Devils 95-86 on Saturday. “We played crappy defense. We were a little frantic, they played their butts off, we’ve got to get better. To me, it’s that simple,” Krzyzewski told reporters after the game. “Now the process of getting there; that’s what we’ve got to figure out. … The continuity of what you have to bring every day just isn’t there yet. We have to come to work every day.” Duke entered the game leading the nation in offensive rebounding percentage (41 percent) but was beaten 14-12 on the offensive glass. Pittsburgh shouldn’t pose much of a threat after dropping its third straight conference game, 81-67 at Virginia Tech on Saturday despite 20 points and four 3-pointers from junior Jared Wilson-Frame.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT DUKE (13-2, 1-2 ACC): Senior guard Grayson Allen (16.8 points, 4.3 assists) scored only eight points - three in the second half - on 3-of-9 shooting, and the 6-5 guard is shooting only 33.3 percent in conference games. “I’m not blaming it on him, but when it’s not there, you know it’s not there and it just hurts you in every way,” Krzyzewski told reporters. “This group only has one veteran like that. The youth can show more if that one veteran is having a human night where it’s not good.” The Blue Devils already lack depth and will be without injured backup forwards Marques Bolden (3.7 points, 3.4 rebounds), who also missed the N.C. State game, along with fellow 6-10 sophomore Javin DeLaurier (4.9 points, 4.6 rebounds).

ABOUT PITTSBURGH (8-8, 0-3): Despite starting five freshmen for the second straight game, the Panthers weren’t all bad, shooting a season-high 46.2 percent (12-of-26) from beyond the arc and holding a 31-26 rebound advantage over the Hokies last time out. Parker Stewart (7.4 points, 36.8 percent on 3-pointers) went 4-of-5 from deep, Wilson-Frame added four 3-pointers and Marcus Carr (11.1 points, 4.0 assists) drilled three. Wilson-Frame, who leads the team in scoring (12.9 points), bounced back from a six-point effort against Louisville and has reached double figures in five of his last six games despite moving from the starting lineup to the bench.

TIP-INS

1. The last time the teams met in Pittsburgh, on Feb. 28, 2016, the Panthers knocked off the Blue Devils 76-62 despite 22 points from Allen. Duke won last year’s contest 72-64 at Cameron Indoor Stadium behind 21 from Allen.

2. The Panthers miss F Ryan Luther (12.7 points, 10.1 rebounds), who has been out the last six games with a foot injury.

3. Bagley has scored 63 points on 24-of-31 shooting with 31 rebounds in his last two games and is one of four players in the country averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds.

PREDICTION: Duke 92, Pittsburgh 61