3 Massive Questions for the Duke Basketball Team Against Vermont

2. Will Kyle Filipowski Exert His Dominance?

With respect to Roach, Kyle FIlipowski remains the most important player on the roster. Despite the ACC Tournament loss, the potential first-round NBA Draft pick still put up 28 points and 14 rebounds along with three steals.

Foul trouble has been an issue for Filipowski in the NCAA Tournament and big games before, so I expect Vermont to try to attack him defensively early. He fouled out of the NC State game and had four in the loss to North Carolina before that, so keeping him on the court will be a massive focus for Jon Scheyer and the Duke coaching staff.

Vermont's two starting big men are both only 6'8", giving the 7'0" Filipowski a huge advantage down low. He has 21+ points in three of his last four games, so I expect another strong game from the sophomore.

Despite the relatively small lineup, the Catamounts still rank seventh in defensive rebounding percentage (76.7%). With the slow pace, it'll be crucial for Filipowski to overcome that and earn extra possessions.

If Filipowski dominates the game like he's capable of, Duke should win going away.