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Game day central: Louisville basketball battles Duke for ACC supremacy

By Jacob Lane

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - FEBRUARY 12: Steven Enoch #23 of the Louisville Cardinals shoots the ball against the Duke Blue Devils at KFC YUM! Center on February 12, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - FEBRUARY 12: Steven Enoch #23 of the Louisville Cardinals shoots the ball against the Duke Blue Devils at KFC YUM! Center on February 12, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 11: Olivier Sarr #30 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons defends Vernon Carey Jr. #1 of the Duke Blue Devils during the first half of their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 11: Olivier Sarr #30 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons defends Vernon Carey Jr. #1 of the Duke Blue Devils during the first half of their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Cassius Stanley vs. Louisville’s guards

There was no better game for Louisville guard David Johnson to get things going than the Cards’ win at Pitt on Tuesday.

The hometown combo-guard brings length and athleticism that no other Louisville guard possesses, and they will need it going up against one of the more formidable backcourts they will see all season.

Tre Jones returns as one of the elite point guards in the ACC, and he will challenge the Cards with his ability to get into the lane and distribute the ball. Duke’s offense all starts with the prolific Jones and his backcourt mate, freshman Cassius Stanley.

Stanley measures in at 6’6,” 195-pounds, and is every bit Johnson’s match size-wise.

If Louisville is going to hang in this game, they have to find an answer for Stanley, and whether that be Johnson, Darius Perry, or potentially a guy like Samuell Williamson or Dwayne Sutton, they will have to find a way.

I believe that it will be a by-committee effort, but if Johnson keeps bringing it offensively, he could wind up being forced into one-on-one situations with Duke’s guards.

Vernon Carey vs. Steven Enoch and Malik Williams

There’s not a more complete prospect on this Duke team than center Vernon Carey Jr.

The true freshman is one of the more skilled bigs in the country, and he could pose a serious threat to this Louisville team on Saturday.

Carey hasn’t been forced to go up against many frontcourts like that of the Cardinals, but his physicality and size will be something to watch, particularly against Steven Enoch, who’s game is very similar to Carey’s.

Carey gets the ball down low a lot, and he makes teams pay. He is only averaging 25 minutes per game, yet he is dropping 17.6 points per game and 8.5 rebounds.

Malik Williams has had the upper hand defensively for the Cardinals- especially of late- but Louisville will need Enoch to perform at a high level and be a go-to option down the stretch if they want to be in this one.

Enoch has been in a slump of late (many have eluded to a lingering illness), but we saw against Kentucky just how dominant he can be. The Cardinals need that guy on Saturday.

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