The Runnin’ Utes are in Houston preparing for their tilt with No. 1 seed Duke, with a berth to the Elite Eight on the line. In preparation for tonight’s anticipated battle, we decided to break down the matchup by position to see who has the upper hand heading into the game.
[ BETTER THE (BLUE) DEVILS YOU KNOW … ]
PG — Brandon Taylor vs. Tyus Jones
Coming out of high school, these two undersized guards could not have been more different. Jones was a sought-after recruit in his graduating class, ranking as a top 10 player in a number of recruiting websites, while Taylor was an unknown afterthought. However, Taylor is having the best season of his career and claims he isn’t afraid to line up against any guard in the country, including Jones. Depending on the defensive matchups that head coach Larry Krystkowiak has in mind, this could be an intriguing battle, as both players have shown the ability to catch fire at times in games. In the end, Taylor has the heart and mindset to compete with the best of the best, but Jones has more natural ability, and that will show come Friday night.
Advantage: Duke
SG — Delon Wright vs. Quinn Cook
Just like with Taylor, I fully expect Wright to move around on defense and potentially guard someone else (maybe Justise Winslow?) throughout this game, but this will be a fun matchup to watch if this is what it ends up being. Cook is one of those guys you can’t believe is still playing in college while Ute fans are wishing Wright could stick around for a few more years. That said, both are seniors for their teams and extremely pivotal when it comes to being successful as a team. Cook has a motivation and heart similar to Taylor’s, while Wright will clearly be the most talented guard on the floor in Houston. Wright also has an advantage, standing at 6-foot-5, while both Cook and Jones measure in at 6-foot-1 or less. Cook has made things difficult for players such as Notre Dame’s Jerian Grant throughout the season, but expect Wright to use his size and talent to overwhelm the Blue Devil backcourt.
Advantage: Utah
SF — Jordan Loveridge vs. Matt Jones
Out of this entire Duke starting lineup, Matt Jones might be the least of Utah’s worries. Jones only averages 5.9 points in 21.3 minutes per game. However, in the Blue Devils’ win over SDSU in the Round of 32, Jones played 34 minutes and he has become an important role player for Duke. Loveridge fills a similar role for Utah, as he has shown he can shoot the three-ball but also can shrink under the bright lights. This won’t be a pivotal matchup when it comes to the outcome of the game, but based off each of their performances in their last games, the edge goes to Loveridge.
Advantage: Utah
PF — Chris Reyes/Brekkott Chapman vs. Justise Winslow
This is where Utah will struggle the most. Winslow, who stands at 6-foot-6, is a beast of a freshman for the Blue Devils. Krzyzewski moved Winslow to the power forward position at some point in the season and Duke has been nearly unbeatable since. He is athletic, strong, and many peg him as a future lottery pick in the NBA Draft, and there may not be a Ute on this roster that can stop Winslow in his tracks. That said, whether Krystkowiak goes with Reyes or Chapman, it will most likely take a combined effort from the duo to stop Winslow, because he’s that good. The good news is that Utah has seen a similar athlete in Arizona’s Stanley Johnson, but the Wildcat saw a great deal of success against the Utes, despite a poor shooting effort in the Huntsman in late February. Jahlil Okafor gets all of the attention for Duke, and deservedly so, but Winslow is a star in his own right.
Advantage: Duke
C — Jakob Poeltl vs. Jahlil Okafor
Poeltl has been impressive so far in the tournament, shooting a near-perfect percentage from the field all while blocking and altering shots at the rim. But Okafor has been an animal, and he has been all season long. While his defense is suspect at best, Okafor is the most talented 19-year-old on the offensive end that we have seen in quite some time, making him an opposing coach’s nightmare. So the question is, can Poeltl stop him? The answer to that is no, but with help from his backup Dallin Bachynski, the Utes might be able to contain him. Okafor is going to get his points and rebounds, and there’s nothing Utah can do to stop him. But with Poeltl’s length and Bachynski’s strength, Utah has a fighting chance to keep their Duke counterpart in check. That said, any coach and team in the country, NCAA or NBA, would love to have Okafor on their team.
Advantage: Duke
@GriffDoug