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1. Will Duke go deep?

A. It seems like an annual rite of winter. Mike Krzyzewski says he likes his team's depth, then proceeds to use one of the shortest benches in college basketball. But the Duke coach has given indications that he has been looking to implement a few system changes -- including the way the Blue Devils run their fast break -- and this might very well be one of them. We'll know if he's serious if Marty Pocius gets significant minutes this season.

2. Is Paulus a point guard?

A. At times last season, it looked as if Greg Paulus was turning into more of a shooting guard for the Blue Devils. He'll still man the point this season, but this time around Paulus will have help. Freshman Nolan Smith will split time at the position with Paulus, helping ensure that Duke always has a fresh point guard on the floor who can keep pushing the pace.

3. Who is Duke's go-to guy?

A. It should be Gerald Henderson. The Blue Devils have attributed much of Henderson's freshman struggles to health issues. Now that Henderson's 100 percent, he's the Duke player who can most easily create his own shot and hit it. That's the No. 1 qualification for being a crunch-time scorer.

4. Is Kyle Singler all that?

A. Krzyzewski thinks so, and he hasn't been afraid to make that opinion public. It might not be immediately obvious to the casual observer what the big deal is about Singler, but watch awhile and you'll realize. A pass here, a rebound there, a steal to start the break, a mid-range jumper ... it's all in Singler's skills set.

-- Jim Young