Started only a few days ago, the new NCAA season already had its first very big shock last night thanks to this confrontation between Duke (#2) and Arizona (#12), at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham.
And unsurprisingly, this poster between these two behemoths of the 2023/24 campaign kept all its promises since everything came down to the last two minutes, when the Wildcats chained together quality defensive possessions and especially successful passes on the free throw line, notably through Caleb Love And Pelle Larsson (6/6 cumulative). A Caleb Love who also signed a “return” on the hostile floor of the Blue Devils, he who had played there four times during his first three university seasons (2020 to 2023), under the tunic of the rival North Carolina (three victories and one defeat).
Still no crazy love between Caleb Love and the “Dukies”
A year and a half after his legendary 3-point shot to defeat Duke in the 2022 Final Four, the former Tar Heel once again gave the Blue Devils headaches. Not by his average offensive contribution (11 points at 3/10 on shots and 6 ball losses), but rather by his composure in the “money-time”: a 4/4 on free throws in the last minute , but also two sharp ‘drives’ followed by precise passes to offer a decisive basket to Oumar Ballo.
Before, of course, gently teasing the spectators whose hearts he now has the habit of breaking.
Rebounding, the X-factor of the match
From a more global point of view, we note that the key to the match was quite simply the rebound battle, largely won by Arizona: 45 shots for the Wildcats against 33 for the Blue Devils, and in particular 15 shots against 8 in this regarding offensive rebounds. Not surprising, knowing that the Tucson troop has two “seven-footers” in its ranks Oumar Ballo And Motiejus Krivaswhile Duke played with a three point guard system…
In the defeat of his own, the pivot Kyle Filipowski was brilliant (25 points and 8 rebounds) despite foul trouble, just like the veteran point guard Jeremy Roach (17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 interceptions) despite the clumsiness (6/14). As for the visitors, and this is a sign of the collective resources that this team possesses, the five starters, including Caleb Love, finished the match with 11 points or more.
