The Atlantic Coast Conference’s top offensive and defensive teams square off on Saturday afternoon as SMU hosts No. 4 Duke in Dallas.
The Mustangs (11-2, 2-0 ACC) are leading the league in offense with 87.2 points per game. Conversely, the Blue Devils (11-2, 3-0) are the top defensive team by holding opponents to 59.0 points per contest.
That is among the top storylines to watch as these programs face each other for the first time as conference members. The last time these teams met on the hardwood was in the 1988 NCAA Tournament, with Duke recording a 94-79 win over SMU in a second-round matchup.
For Duke, it appears to be hitting its midseason stride going into the new calendar year. The Blue Devils are riding a seven-game winning streak, including a 23-point victory over Virginia Tech on New Year’s Eve.
Duke coach Jon Scheyer is excited about the potential of his team, but he went even further after being asked if he felt the squad had “unlimited potential.”
“I always feel that way,” Scheyer said. “The amount of talent in this room, the amount of selflessness in this room, it makes us feel like we can truly do anything. We’ve been gelling very well. That’s one of the things that I love about this team. It’s fun to play on this team because we know we have talent but, more than anything, we know we play together, and we play for each other — and that’s what makes a special team.”