G Tyler Thornton- Thornton is Duke's best perimeter defender and will be up against it again tonight. He'll draw Florida State's top scorer Michael Snaer at times and deadly three point shooter Devydas Dulkys at times. Thornton has proven he can guard both quicker and bigger players by holding Maryland's Terrell Stoglin to a second-worst-of-the-season total of 13 points and slowing Harrison Barnes, who is seven inches taller.
G Austin Rivers- Rivers will become the first Duke freshman to lead the team in scoring since Johnny Dawkins in 1983. Last matchup with the Seminoles, Rivers put up a team high 19 points. Rivers was able to use his quickness and dribbling ability to get by slower defenders such as Dulkys and Luke Loucks. Rivers will need to put in at least 15 for the Blue Devils and try to keep it a fast paced game.
G Seth Curry- The hottest player for Duke right now is Curry. He scored 18 and a season high 26 in wins over Boston College and NC State, respectably. He will most likely be facing off against Dulkys most of the night and his improving defense has done best against outside shooters like himself. Curry has to be connecting from the outside for Duke and avoid the below average nights he was having earlier in the conference season.
F Mason Plumlee- The middle Plumlee is Duke's best interior player. In the last matchup Florida State big man Xavier Gibson poured in 18 points in the paint and was the best big on the court. Plumlee has the length and athletic ability to hang with Gibson and Bernard James, but has not had a great scoring night in the past few games for Duke. Look for Coach K to try to establish the inside game early.
F Miles Plumlee- Mason's older brother Miles has come on of late. He secured 22 rebounds (the most by any Duke player in Coach K's tenure) against Maryland and has let his presence be known in the past few games. The Duke coaches have shown Miles videos of Brian Zoubek, the seven foot center from Duke's 2010 national championship team in an effort to get him to take on a similar role. So far it's working, but Maryland and Boston College don't have the bigs that Florida State does.
Bench: G Andre Dawkins, G Quinn Cook, F Josh Hairston, F Ryan Kelly- The mainstays off the bench are Kelly and Dawkins. Kelly is the next in line in terms of "big men" but likes to stretch the floor. The problem against Florida State is that their bigs are long and athletic enough to keep up with him and defend the three. Dawkins is a deadly outside shooter who has been getting smothered on defense. His defensive urge has improved recently, as seen in the NC State game, where he matched up well enough on Scott Wood to hold the Wolfpack sharpshooter to 1-7 from the field.
G Luke Loucks- Loucks has developed into a good point guard for the Seminoles. He leads the team in assists at four a game and has turned into a defensive menace. He'll have his hands full with the outside shooters of Duke, but has succeeded as he came into college as a similar three point specialist.
G Devydas Dulkys- We saw what Dulkys was capable of in his 32 point, 8-10 from three game against North Carolina. The guard has not scored more than 12 since but remains a threat from deep. Another player like Loucks who knows the routes of outside shooters, he'll probably match up against Curry. If Dulkys can get the three going, look out.
G Michael Snaer- Snaer has become Florida State's leader and "Mr. Big Shot". The junior could be an all-ACC pick but will face up against Rivers, who may be his biggest contender for a spot on the team. Snaer is the quickest player for the Seminoles and will be tested against Rivers' crossover. We all know Snaer made the big shot against Duke but what was most surprising was how Duke did not defend him, seeing as he scored 14 points against the Blue Devils.
F Bernard James- James has developed into one of the best big men in college basketball and his maturity is rubbing off on his teammates. He got the best of the Plumlees in the first meeting, getting 12 points with 8 boards. James has the size and defensive ability to be a headache for any coach. His matchup with Mason Plumlee may determine the outcome of this game.
F Xavier Gibson- As I said, Gibson led Florida State with 18 points in the first meeting. Even the Plumlees could not match Gibson's freakish athleticism and the 6-11 senior took advantage. Gibson has to be a mainstay scorer because either him or James is going to be doubled a lot. If Gibson grabs a double double this game is Florida State's to lose.
Bench: G Ian Miller, F Okaro White, F Jon Kreft, G Jeff Peterson. The Florida State bench can go deep or shallow. Against NC State the Seminoles put 11 guys in the scoring column but in other games Miller and White have been the only ones noticeable. White adds length and is an adequate player to give James and Gibson some rest. Miller is an athletic guard who can play both point and swing. Look for Miller to try to stop Rivers if Snaer cannot.
Prediction: Rivers and Curry get theirs. Mason Plumlee gets 12 and 10. Snaer will explode for 20, and James/Gibson combine for 30. In another classic Duke stays together on the road to get revenge, 79-72.
--Krzyzewski acknowledged that his team likely has a “little bit more incentive” to beat Florida State because of what happened the last times these teams met, when the Seminoles’ Michael Snaer made a 3 at the buzzer to give Florida State a victory in Durham. Krzyzewski said he re-watched that game on the way home from Boston last night and he described the first Duke-FSU game as “just a heck of a game.”- Andrew Carter/News & Observer
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