Game of the Week: Duke at Ohio State

This week features many battles between ranked programs in what should be another compelling Big Ten/ ACC Challenge. Although many Wisconsinites are looking forward to the Badgers match up with the Tar Heels of North Carolina, the most competitive game should occur in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday night. The third ranked Buckeyes host the sixth ranked Blue Devils in what could be a Final Four preview. Yes, that is a stretch but both teams are playing well early in the season and a win would look great on the resume of either team.

A leaner Jared Sullinger returned to Ohio State this season after a tremendous freshman year in which he averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds a game. Other returning starters include senior William Buford and sophomore Aaron Craft. Buford has been on a tear to start this season, averaging almost 18 points a game and should end the season as the Buckeyes all-time leading scorer. Craft remains a pest all over the court and will need to continue to assert his leadership as the only experienced point guard. Ohio State should be thankful their first two top-ten matchups (the other being an 81-74 victory over eighth ranked Florida) have been at home, seeing as five of their top six players are sophomores and with the exception of Sullinger and Craft, didn't get much experience last season. The Buckeyes will need to look for Sullinger early and hopefully keep the Blue Devils post defenders on their toes.

Duke is coming off an emotional Maui Invitational in which they improved to 15-0 all-time. Their victory over Kansas in the finals came from a very unlikely hero, backup point guard Tyler Thornton, who hit two key three pointers to seal the game for the Blue Devils. Duke survived a couple close calls earlier in the season, almost losing to Belmont at home and never gelling as a team for a full 40 minutes... That is, not until the Maui Invitational Championship against the Jayhawks. Duke has three very talented guards in Seth Curry, Andre Dawkins and freshman Austin Rivers who have all been trying to find their niche playing with each other during the first few weeks of the season. The Plumlee brothers, Mason and Miles, have been solid on the defensive end but haven't faced a task as tough as Sullinger. With the help of the multi-versatile Ryan Kelly, Duke has had a surprisingly efficient frontcourt thus far. As simple as it sounds, if the Plumlee's can find a way to limit Sullinger's touches throughout the game and force his inexperienced teammates to make plays, they should set themselves in position to leave Columbus undefeated.

Prediction: I think it will be a close game throughout with Duke coming out on top. They have so much momentum riding from their Maui Invitational trip and were able to find themselves as a team. I like the way the Plumlee twins are playing and don't know who will guard Kelly. He will post up anyone smaller than him and stretch anyone taller outside the arc. Craft and Buford won't be able to outlast the triple-headed monster of Curry, Dawkins and Rivers and the Blue Devils should be able to handle the crowd at the Value City Arena, having already played significant games away from Cameron Indoor Stadium. This compelling matchup three weeks into the season is one of many reasons why college basketball is one of the greatest in sports.

If you aren't intrigued by this game on Tuesday, make sure you watch the following notables this week:
Monday: Xavier @ Vanderbilt
Wednesday: Wisconsin @ North Carolina
Thursday: St. Johns @ Kentucky
Friday: Florida @ Syracuse
Saturday: North Carolina @ Kentucky
               Marquette @ Wisconsin