It doesn't get much bigger than playing inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, especially when both teams have national championship aspirations.
Heading into Wednesday, both Auburn and Duke are ranked inside KenPom's top five at No. 1 and No. 4, respectively.
While Auburn's players relish the chance to play at a historic venue, they're also treating it the same way they have treated every other big game this season.
"Growing up, seeing Duke, seeing how crazy their crowd is, it's every kid's dream to go and play in Cameron," Chaney Johnson said on Monday. "So finally, to have the opportunity to go in there and win a big game, it's big for us. It's same mentality. Just go in there and win, make sure we do everything the scout tells us to do and the coaches tell us to do. Just go and handle business, honestly."
Duke is known for producing offensive superstars such as Grant Hill, Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum, Paolo Banchero and Dereck Lively, however, this year's iteration of the Blue Devils is defensive-minded.
Anchored by freshmen phenoms Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach, Duke's adjusted defensive rating sits at 87.3 which is the best mark in the country.
"This is the No. 1 defensive team in the country in part because they're so long," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "They're the tallest team in the country, they have great length at every position, they have active hands, they get their arms and hands on a lot of balls. When we get the ball to our bigs, they'll be poking away at it and reaching in; they're real handsy and active. They do a really nice job."
Duke's defensive numbers are as good as it gets. The Blue Devils are holding opponents to an effective field goal percentage of 40.7, a two point field goal percentage of 40.3 and a three point percentage of 27.5 which ranks fourth, third and 27th nationally, respectively. Duke also boasts a steal percentage of 13.5 which ranks 22nd nationally.
That's all to say, this Duke can defend, but how is a team so young so good defensively?
It helps to have a generational prospect, which is exactly what Flagg is.
Standing at 6-foot-9 with a wingspan over 7-foot, Flagg is a great paint defender who averages 1.4 blocks a night, but he also has the ability to guard the perimeter at a high level, but it's not just the defensive end where he's great.
Flagg, who is currently second in KenPom's player of the year standings behind Johni Broome, is averaging just under 16 points a game along with 8.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He also boasts a usage rate of 28.9 percent which means that Duke's offense runs through him.
Flagg is great, and Auburn knows that, but its not going to treat him any differently than it would any other player.
"Projected No. 1 draft pick," Johnson said about Flagg. "So, of course, that’s something to get excited about. But treat every game the same. Go in with the same focus as if I’m playing North Alabama knowing I’m going to have to make sure I do what I have to do, regardless. Just going in there trying to handle business."
Flagg's frontcourt partner, Maluach, is Duke's rim protector, and while he isn't the level of prospect Flagg is, he's still widely expected to be a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Standing at 7-foot-2 and 250 pounds, Maluach boasts a block percentage of 7.3 which ranks 87th nationally. He also has an individual offensive rating of 151 and shoots 80 percent from inside the arc both of which rank 10th nationally.
Beyond those two, Duke has flame throwers from deep.
Kon Knueppel, another Duke freshman projected to be a lottery pick, is 16-of-44 from deep on the season, but he shot a combined 1-of-16 against Kansas and Kentucky, Duke's two losses on the season.
Tyrese Proctor is averaging 9.1 shots a night and seven of those are from deep, and for good reason -- he's shooting 47 percent from deep on the young season.
Mason Gillis, a transfer from Purdue, is just 6-of-23 from deep to open the season, but he is a career 40 percent shooter and shot 47 percent from beyond the arc.
As a team, Duke is shooting 38 percent from deep at home, but the highest rated KenPom team it has played at Cameron was Seattle at No. 123.
"The 3-ball is important to Duke," Pearl said. "They do shoot it better at home, this team does, and historically they have. They're making over 13 a game, at over 38 percent, at home this year. So it's really hard to find much of a weakness when you go at them."
Overall, it's as good as a non-conference game can get. Auburn has a healthy respect for Duke and is prepared for the challenge that Cameron Indoor will present.
"Best team we've played so far," Pearl said about Duke. "Iowa State is awfully good, but Duke is just so deep and so big, so talented. And obviously without question, it's the toughest environment we will play in."
