INDIANAPOLIS – The trademark of Duke U. basketball under head coach Mike Krzyzewski has often been steady guard play, tough defense and a will to win that’s second to none.
All three attributes are still prevalent this season, but another factor – strong interior play – has significantly helped the Blue Devils reach their 11th Final Four under Krzyzewski.
Duke’s starting five features 7-foot-2 center Brian Zoubek as well as 6-foot-8 forwards Kyle Singler and Lace Thomas.
Off the bench, the Blue Devils rely on a trio of 6-foot-10 brothers Miles and Mason Plumlee.
Both the Mountaineers and Blue Devils recognize stark differences in this year’s Duke team from the one West Virginia upset two years ago in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
“We’re a more physical team this year. In 2008, we didn’t really have a big man presence,” Singler said. “With Brian, Lance, Miles and Mason, those are four guys that can bang and are physical.”
Perhaps the most noticeable difference lies within Zoubek. The senior is averaging collegiate career-highs in points (5.5), rebounds (7.6) and field goal percentage (.632).
His increased production directly relates to being able to play more.
Zoubek had never averaged more than 12 minutes per game throughout his first three years but has played 18.1 minutes per contest this season.
“Zoubek’s done a great job of being on the floor. When we played them two years ago he hardly played (and) he couldn’t play because we were too fast and too physical,” said West Virginia forward Wellington Smith.
Krzyzewski believes although Zoubek only has 29 blocked shots this season, he’s also made tremendous strides defensively.
“He has really talked well to our team. When you have an inside voice talking on defense, it helps your perimeter defense,” Krzyzewski said.
Along with Zoubek, Thomas is a voice the Blue Devils know they can trust. The senior co-captain brings more to the table than leadership though.
“Lance Thomas is a role guy but a very key guy for their team because the three guys that do score don’t do the things that Thomas does,” Smith said.
The Plumlee brothers weren’t around the last time the two teams’ met. Miles Plumlee is a sophomore and Mason is a freshman, but they both bring a number of key factors to Duke’s front line.
“The Plumlees are very athletic. They can rebound and knock down the 12-15 footer,” said WVU point guard Joe Mazzulla.
The Blue Devils big men don’t stand out on a statistics sheet. They’re rarely called upon to score, as Duke gets over 53 points per game from Singler and guards Nolan Smith and Jon Scheyer.
Thomas averages 4.8 points and 4.9 rebounds, while the Plumlee brothers combine to average 9.2 points and 8.4 rebounds.
What makes the quartet so key to Duke’s success is an ability to consistently stick to what they do well, according to WVU head coach Bob Huggins.
“Mike has done a great job in making sure they fill their roles and do the things he wants them to do,” Huggins said.
“They don’t get out of context very much. They do what he tells them to do and what their role is to be successful.”