Duke men’s basketball faces another ACC opponent when Miami travels to Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Chronicle previews Tuesday’s matchup with an overview and three keys to the game:

2023-24 record: 15-17, 6-14 in the ACC

2024-25 record: 4-12, 0-5 in the ACC

Head Coach: Bill Courtney (Interim)

Story: Duke leads 26-9

Last meeting: 84-55 Duke, February 21, 2024

Perhaps the last thing Miami needs during a difficult stretch is a contest with the ACC’s current heavyweight. Just over three weeks ago, the Hurricanes lost head coach Jim Larrañaga to an early resignation. Although the season already had a difficult start – the team went 4-8 with Larrañaga – interim coach Bill Courtney has yet to see a turnaround. Miami has lost four straight conference games under Courtney, with only an 85-86 heartbreaker against Virginia Tech remaining within single digits.

Place the floor: A key component of the Blue Devils’ late-game struggles on Saturday was an inability to attack from deep. Kon Knueppel made 2 of 7, Tyrese Proctor hit just 1 of 5 and Caleb Foster missed all three attempts from behind the arc. This shooting performance allowed the Fighting Irish to respond to Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach in interior defense to push the defensive end of their late-game run.

This season, Duke is still a talented 3-point shooting team – Proctor and Isaiah Evans are both shooting over 40% from distance, and Knueppel has recorded three nights with four 3-pointers. Should this backcourt become more comfortable shooting without volume – taking advantage of the looks created when the ball runs through Flagg – the Blue Devils’ offense could be elevated to the nation’s leading level of defense.

The Wings Matchup: The star power in Tuesday’s contest is on the wing. On the Miami side, Cleveland is the leading scorer in Pack’s absence. His 1.90 meter tall frame coupled with an effective shot from deep make him a versatile goalscorer. In the six games since Pack’s injury, Cleveland has scored over 20 points in four games.

The Hurricanes’ rising star will likely face a matchup with Flagg, who is still in the national spotlight after a record-setting 42-point performance against Notre Dame. Flagg was a career night freshman phenom, undoubtedly showcasing his ability to produce efficiently at all three levels. Defensively, the projected No. 1 overall NBA draft pick remains at the top nationally. According to SportsReference, Flagg ranks third in defensive rating and defensive field plus/minus, as well as fifth in win shares per 40 minutes. Expect Cleveland and Flagg to hold the ball for most of the evening – if they come out dominant in this matchup, that could be the momentum for both sides.

The defense is rounded off by: One potential disruptor to Duke’s rotation is the status of Maliq Brown. Brown had to leave Saturday’s game with a right knee injury. Although he returned to the bench in the second half, the Syracuse transfer will be out for an extended period of time and will miss Tuesday’s game. While he may not fit the stat sheet, Brown’s unparalleled ability to draw deflections and apply pressure on the ball was a key aspect of the Blue Devils’ No. 2 defensive rating, according to KenPom.

In Brown’s absence, Jon Scheyer is expected to take over for the inexperienced Patrick Ngongba II to fill the minutes in the five-man position. While he’s certainly talented, the 6-foot-3 center is still a rookie prone to defensive errors and foul trouble – something the Hurricanes’ frontcourt may be able to exploit. Flawless play from deep by Maluach and Ngongba, coupled with a cohesive overall defensive performance, will be necessary to close the potential gap.