Duke has looked every bit like a championship team in Charlotte, but tonight’s ACC title game against Virginia presents a very real wrinkle: size.
The Blue Devils are back in the championship after beating Clemson 73-61 in the semifinal, but they’re doing it without both Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba. That matters even more against a Virginia team that suddenly looks built to make Duke uncomfortable around the rim.
Virginia rolled into the title game by blasting Miami 84-62, and the Cavaliers did it with the exact formula that could test Duke the most.
Ugonna Onyenso gave them 17 points and four blocks off the bench, while Thijs De Ridder added 16 points in another strong outing. Virginia also won the glass 38-26, a number that jumps off the page when you’re talking about a matchup with a Duke team missing one of its biggest frontcourt bodies.
That’s where De Ridder becomes such a major storyline. He’s been one of the breakout players in the league all season, earning All-ACC First Team honors, and his size, skill, and versatility give Virginia a weapon Duke has to account for on every possession.
He can score facing up, he can work inside, and if Duke is forced to overhelp because Ngongba isn’t there to provide that extra size and rim protection, it opens the floor for everything else Virginia wants to do.
Normally, Duke can throw wave after wave of length at you and still feel protected at the basket. Without Ngongba, there is less margin for error.
Cameron Boozer is still the best player on the floor, and Maliq Brown gives Duke toughness and defensive playmaking, but this matchup could be more physical than Duke would prefer.
Virginia has also evolved offensively since the last time these teams met, with Sam Lewis heating up from three during the tournament and Onyenso turning into a real interior factor.
That doesn’t mean Duke is in trouble. The Blue Devils still have the best top-end talent in the game, and Boozer was dominant again against Clemson with 24 points and 14 rebounds.
But if Virginia is going to make this a 40-minute fight, it likely starts with size, second-chance opportunities, and De Ridder forcing Duke to defend bigger than it currently is.