3 Massive Questions for Duke vs. NC State in Elite Eight
By Cem Yolbulan
2. Can Duke Hit Enough Three-Pointers?
The Blue Devils are one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country as they hit over 8 threes per game on 38% from behind the arc. However, they can be inconsistent at times and if they are not hitting their shots, they can struggle to generate enough points.
The ACC Tournament matchup against the Wolfpack was a great example of this. Duke had one of the worst shooting performances of the season, hitting 5-20 as they lost 74-69. They similarly struggled from downtown in their regular-season matchup with 30% shooting. Yet, they were able to generate 30 three-point attempts, so they were still able to put up 79 points in the win.
As important as hitting your threes is generating them. Drive-and-kick looks that create catch-and-shoot opportunities for the best shooters on the team like Jared McCain and Jeremy Roach will be the key to success on the offensive end.
Starting the game strong by hitting a few shots early will prevent NC State from collapsing on the interior. It will allow Kyle Filipowski to get better looks inside.