No. 1: The battle inside between IU's Marco Killingsworth and Duke's Shelden Williams
Between IU's Marco Killingsworth and Duke's Shelden Williams, the paint of Branch McCracken court will be weighed down by more than 500 pounds tonight. Both perennial All-American candidates average more than 18 points and eight rebounds a game, and neither shoot below 60 percent. The 6-foot-9 Williams has an inch of height on Killingsworth, but the 268-pound Alabama native brings an additional 18 pounds to the post. A key factor in tonight's game will be which player forces the other into foul trouble first.
No. 2: Coach K and coach Davis' ties to former Hoosier coach Bobby Knight
"The General" and his Army -- Mike Davis and Mike Krzyzewski both became head coaches with the aid of former IU coach Bob Knight. Krzyzewski played under Knight at Army and, with Knight's recommendations, took the Army coaching position after Knight left. Davis coached under Knight for three years and took over as head coach upon Knight's departure in 2000.
No. 3: Lewis Monroe's attempt to keep J.J. Redick in check
The Blue Devils' leading scorer has connected on 48 percent of his three-point shots this season. Lewis Monroe will draw the assignment of guarding Redick, who averages 22 points a game. Redick was runner-up to Andrew Bogut last season for AP National Player of the Year and was named a preseason All-American. How does Monroe plan on stopping him? Turn to PAGE 10.
No. 4: Representing the conference \nin the ACC/Big Ten Challenge
The Hoosiers are 2-2 in the four-year history of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, but have lost their last two games. IU lost to Wake Forest by 33 points in 2003 and to North Carolina by seven last season.
No. 5: Coach Davis will be seeking milestone victory No. 100 of his coaching career
IU coach Mike Davis has compiled a career 99-67 overall record in his six seasons as the Hoosiers' head coach. With one more win, he will become the second-fastest coach in IU history to reach the plateau behind only his predecessor Bob Knight.
No. 6: IU attempts to repeat its last home performance against a No. 1 team
IU hopes history can repeat itself tonight as the Hoosiers have fond memories of the last time a No. 1 seed entered Assembly Hall. In 2001, top-ranked Michigan State marched into Bloomington, but a last-second shot from IU's Kirk Haston sent the Spartans tumbling down the rankings. All -time, IU has five wins against No. 1 seeds.
No. 7: Duke's McRoberts makes his Indiana homecoming
Coming out of Carmel High School, Duke's 6-foot-10 forward Josh McRoberts touted offers from multiple programs as a McDonald's All-American. McRoberts played for Bloomington Red, an AAU team, during his high school career, but he did not make an official visit to IU and was not offered a scholarship.
No. 8: How will Duke make up for the loss of sophomore DeMarcus Nelson?
Duke's DeMarcus Nelson, a 6-foot-3 guard, had surgery on his broken right ankle Monday after falling awkwardly against Drexel. The Blue Devils' sophomore swingman will be out six to eight weeks, pushing freshman Greg Paulus into the starting lineup.
No. 9: Someone's undefeated season \nhas to come to an end tonight
IU and Duke both enter tonight's game undefeated in the young season. Duke is riding a five-game winning streak, including a NIT Season Tip-Off Championship. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers have increased their scoring output in every game since netting 93 in their exhibition opener.
No. 10: Possible recruit for both schools will be courtside weighing his decision
Valparaiso High School's Robbie Hummel, a four-star junior recruit according to peegs.com, has received offers from both IU and Duke, among several other schools. Peegs.com said the 6-foot-7 forward will be courtside for tonight's game.
No. 11: Both teams play uptempo games. Which bench will out-run the other?
A primary component of the Hoosiers' offense this year has been their ability to go nearly 10-deep in their rotation. The return of A.J. Ratliff, along with the emergence of Errek Suhr as a scoring threat, should allow IU to keep a steady backcourt rotation. Duke's bench took a hit with DeMarcus Nelson's injury, but forward Lee Melchionni averages double-digit minutes and has started in the past.
No. 12: Senior forward Sean Kline will \nprobably be a game-time decision
Senior forward Sean Kline is listed as a probable starter for tonight's game, but will most likely be a game-time decision. The 6-foot-8 forward played in only 18 games last season, and missed his entire sophomore season due to a knee injury. This injury, however, is not related to his past knee troubles. Kline is currently averaging eight points a game.
No. 13: If A.J. Ratliff plays, will he \nbe able to make an impact?
Sophomore A.J. Ratliff is listed as probable for tonight's game against the Blue Devils. The guard sustained a broken thumb during the preseason and dressed for the first time Saturday against Western Illinois. Ratliff practiced with the Hoosiers this week, participating in scrimmages for the first time all season. Should Ratliff play, it will only augment the Hoosiers' already-deep backcourt.
No. 14: Seniors will play a large \nrole on both teams
Both IU and Duke sport senior-heavy starting lineups -- the Hoosiers start all four of their seniors and the Blue Devils start three of their five. In both cases, seniors represent the team's top two scorers and top rebounder.
No. 15: The Hoosiers will try to make use of Assembly Hall's homecourt advantage
After a 6:30 p.m. pep rally, more than 17,000 screaming Hoosier fans will pack Assembly Hall. Fans have all been encouraged to wear white as a sign of campus unity, and the IU bookstore sold out of the "whiteout" shirts by Tuesday. More are expected to be available at the pep rally, emceed by IU football return man and music producer Lance Bennett. And let's not forget, the game will be showcased on ESPN with Dick Vitale behind the mic.
No. 16: Part of IU's uptempo game is passing. Can the Hoosiers keep up the assists?
Through their first five games of the season, the Hoosiers average 28 assists per game and are ranked first in the Big Ten. Four Hoosiers already have double-digit assist totals after just three games. Robert Vaden leads the team with 18.
No. 17: It will be a 'white out' at IU as D.J. will sit out again
Entering the season, IU had a clear edge over Duke in the paint, as Mike Davis thought he had one of the best frontcourts in the nation. But between D.J. White's broken foot, Sean Kline's aching knee and the emergence of Josh McRoberts as a solid post threat for Duke, the edge under the basket seems to have shifted to the Blue Devils.
