This Duke Blue Devils squad is an elite defensive unit while also boasting an incredible shooting game, blending the best traits from Jon Scheyer’s early seasons’ teams. And this proves why Cooper Flagg & Co. are unbeaten in the ACC, riding high at 11-0. But, you know what the next game vs Syracuse Orange might shatter it. Why, you may ask?

Well, they just came off a dominant win against North Carolina, and history tells us that’s not always a great thing. In each of the last four seasons, the team that won the first Duke-UNC showdown ended up losing their next game. So, does that mean Wednesday night’s matchup against is a trap game? 

That we’ll see. For now what we know is Duke will take its 15-game winning streak—the longest active one in the nation—into enemy territory, facing Syracuse at the JMA Wireless Dome in New York at 7 p.m. ET.

Historically, Duke has had the upper hand against the Orange, winning 16 of 22 matchups, including a dominant 20-point win last year. And they’ve won nine in a row against Syracuse. 

Well, between that win streak and the hype from Saturday’s performance, the biggest challenge for Duke might just be staying focused. Meanwhile, Syracuse is struggling through a tough season, sitting below .500. That being said, they’d love nothing more than to shock the world against a team like Duke.

So, let’s see who’s in and who’s out for the matchup. 

Good news for the Blue Devils—they’re back to full strength. Maliq Brown returned from a knee sprain against UNC, and there are no other significant injuries for Duke heading into this one.

Syracuse, however, isn’t as lucky. The Orange is missing one of its most important players, freshman Donnie Freeman, who’s been sidelined for eight games with a right leg injury. And his status remains questionable. On top of that, Chance Westry is also uncertain to play due to an undisclosed injury.

Hence, starting five look like this….

Duke:

• Sean James
• Tyrese Proctor
• Kon Knueppel
• Cooper Flagg
• Kyle Maluach

Syracuse:

• Eddie Lampkin
• J.J. Davis
• Lucas Taylor
• J.J. Starling
• Elijah Moore

The key factors: Where  Cooper Flagg’s Duke can dominate and what could trip them up

Duke might have all the advantages on paper, even reporters already claiming that they won’t lose a game in this ACC run, but still, let’s break it down. If there’s one thing that could make this interesting, it’s the senior leadership of J.J. Starling and Lucas Taylor.

Starling has been on fire since returning from an injury that kept him out for seven games earlier this season. He’s averaging 17.9 points in the 15 games he has played, including multiple 20-point performances. 

So, Duke’s defense will have its hands full containing him. Taylor, meanwhile, is another key piece to watch. A former Wake Forest player, he dropped a season-high 19 points with seven boards to help Syracuse snap a losing streak against Cal. If he gets going, the Orange could make this a real fight.

But here’s where Duke really separates itself. The Blue Devils are one of the best passing teams in the country, assisting on 60.9% of their made shots—that’s 24th in the nation, according to KenPom. Their freshman phenom leads the way with 89 assists, but it’s a total team effort. 

Duke has six other players with at least 17 assists, showing just how unselfish and fluid their offense is. And teams that move the ball well tend to do well against Syracuse. Maryland, Georgetown, Clemson, and Louisville all had at least 17 assists in their wins over the Orange this season. 

Another X factor is Maliq Brown. He made a huge impact in Duke’s win over UNC. But what’s worth noting her is he used to play for Syracuse.

Brown spent his first two seasons with the Orange before transferring to Duke, and last year, he had a career-high 26 points against the Blue Devils. 

Now, he returns there wearing different colors. So, we can assume that he knows the Syracuse system inside and out, which could be a sneaky advantage for Duke.

So, everything points in Duke’s favor here. But while Syracuse may not be having a great season, they’ve got players who won’t just roll over. If Duke stays locked, they should have no problem winning. If they don’t? Well, let’s just say history hasn’t been kind to teams fresh off a Duke-UNC win.

Time to see if Duke can break the trend or if Syracuse has a surprise up its sleeve.