Recent Play Details

Rick Barnes has endured a handful of March collapses, but he probably deserves a pass if/when the 2023 version arrives. Tennessee began the year 18-3, including 7-1 in the SEC before the injuries started to pile up. Josiah-Jordan James has returned to the starting lineup, but he missed 12 games during the regular season. Starting point guard Zakai Zeigler is out with a knee injury. Barnes has tried to run the offense through Santiago Vescovi at the end of the season but it's just not working. Since the start of February, the Vols are 6-7 straight-up and 4-9 against the spread after barely escaping Louisiana in the opening round. The opposite is true in Durham where the Blue Devils are playing their best basketball of the season and riding a ten-game win streak. It took a little bit longer than Duke fans are accustomed to, but Jon Scheyer has this talented group clicking at the right time. In the opening round, Duke grabbed a double-digit lead against Oral Roberts less than five minutes into the game and never looked back. Jeremy Roach was the only player to log more than 30 minutes. Tennessee had to go to the wire with the Ragin' Cajuns in their opening round. Coach Scheyer has the Blue Devils playing at a slower pace this season. In 2021, Duke's games averaged 68.5 possessions. Last season they averaged 67.3 possessions. This year that number is down to 65.1 possessions. From a profile standpoint, Tennessee compares very similar to Virginia, who Duke just beat by ten last Saturday. In years' past, Tennessee's slower tempo may have frustrated Duke, but the Blue Devils are used to it this season.