BDN Premium Articles, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

Alex Murphy – “The visit to Duke went great!”

January 13, 2011 Mark Watson

NCAA BASKETBALL: JAN 09 Maryland at Duke — Alex Murphy takes in the action while visiting Duke. BDN Premium has Murph's thoughts on the visit in our latest premium subscriber offering. LKI Images for BDN

The Duke Blue Devils may be in the midst of their basketball season but recruiting never ends and there has been a lot going on around the program of late. Several key recruits are in the process of or have already made the journey to Cameron Indoor Stadium to see the Blue Devils in person. This weekend Duke entertains Shabazz Muhammad and Austin Rivers and that list may not be done just yet.

Last weekend Duke entertained young but talented 2013 prospect Jabari Parker and key target Alex Murphy. BDN Premium caught up to Murphy before his game this afternoon at Middlesex and got his thoughts on his visit to Cameron and Duke. Murphy not only has a game tonight but tomorrow as well and then they turn around and play in the Hoop Hall Classic on Sunday in another event BDN Premium will cover live.

The one word which best describes Murphy's visit to Duke is great as you can see. "Oh, the visit went great. It was a great weekend down there. I got there on Saturday night and stayed until Sunday, got to see the game" said Murphy.

Alex had taken some time off with his [private] Father to check out the Blue Devils win over Maryland in an ACC battle. While he was originally supposed to stay a bit longer and wanted to, inclement weather force them to leave earlier than expected. "Due to some weather conflicts we had to head out early Monday morning, but like I said the visit was great and while I got to see a little bit of campus during the Tournament of Champions, this time I got to see a game as well," said the St. Mark's marksmen.

Murphy has some familiarity with Duke in that they've zeroed in on the star as a priority need. When asked if he knew any of the current players Murphy responded, "I know Nolan Smith real well, having met him at the Adidas Nations Camp in Chicago this summer. And then I got to spend some time with the guys this weekend like Kyrie. Of course, he is hurt but I did get to spend some time with him which was cool."

While Murphy may not know a lot of the current players he is getting to know some of the players in Duke's incoming class. "I know some of the guys coming in next year. The one I know the most is Quinn Cook and then a couple of other guys too. I know Marshall Plumlee real well and Austin Rivers too."

Muprhy elaborated more by saying, "I think it helps when other players going into a program recruit because they already have a feel for the school and the coaches they'll play for. Just knowing them before you get down there helps. It's like having a sense of familiarity with them before you get down there. Of course, Nolan will not be there when I would but getting to know some of the guys I could be teammates with is definitely important."

While his visit was a bit shorter than he wanted, Murphy was still able to get a look around. "I saw a lot of the stuff that surrounds the game and of course the game itself. I didn't tour campus or see dorms unfortunately and if the time was there I would have probably stayed on Monday and met with the academic advisers down there. But for the most part I got to see a lot of basketball related things around campus. It was really good," stated Murphy.

When asked of his reaction to the Cameron Crazies chanting his name, Murphy said, "In the pre game I was standing right under the basket with Kyrie Irving and the guys behind me were chanting come to Duke and as soon as the game was over, they continued to show love. I kind of kept my head down but when they cheered my name I looked up and it was kind of cool."

As for his future plans pertaining to Duke and other schools, Alex said, "Yeah, I will return. Right now I have no set plans for getting back down there or any other school but I will definitely take my chances and go to some other schools but I will be back there at some point and time."

Recap - We kept the conversation brief and to the point in that Andre Slater will cover Murphy during the Hoop Hall this weekend. Murphy was kind enough to give BDN his initial thoughts on the visit despite his upcoming game. He seemed genuinely happy with how the visit went and it is no secret Duke is one of, if not the leader for his services. This was of course and unofficial visit in that he is just a junior. It's getting hot around BDN Premium, so stay tuned for more information coming your way in droves over the next several days.[/private]

FSU hands #1 Duke first loss of the season

January 13, 2011 Patrick Cacchio

FSU's Chris Singleton guards Duke's Kyle Singler

TALLAHASSEE - The Florida State Seminoles defeated the Duke Blue Devils 66-61 in Tallahassee. Derwin Kitchen had a huge second half for the Noles, finishing with 22 points on the night to lead all scorers. Chris Singleton added 18, as the Seminoles knocked down their free throws in the final minute to seal the victory.

The Blue Devils got off to a cold start, shooting 0-10 from 3 before Ryan Kelly knocked one down halfway through the first half. Kyle Singler finished with just 2 points in the first half, but rallied with a big second half to lead the Blue Devils’ scorers with 20 points and 8 rebounds. Nolan Smith added 19 for Duke, who shot just 31% from the field overall. Mason Plumlee added 14 rebounds for the Blue Devils, but struggled with foul trouble throughout the game, eventually fouling out in the final minute.

Florida State closed out the first half on a 7-0 run to take a 28-24 lead into halftime. The Seminoles extended their lead to start the second half, energizing the crowd and forcing a timeout by Coach K with 16:28 remaining. Duke would then go on a run of their own, sparked by an aggressive half-court trap defense and capped off by three free throws by Andre Dawkins at the 11:46 mark to tie the game at 42. A few minutes later, Chris Singleton would head to the bench with his fourth foul, but Kitchen was able to carry the offensive load for the Seminoles. Kitchen got the shooter’s bounce on a 3 and then converted a traditional 3 point play to put the Seminoles up for good. Nolan Smith would hit a 3 at 2:26 to cut the lead to 1, but Florida State refused to buckle.

The Florida State fans, who were loud throughout the second half, stormed the court in victory. The loss drops Duke to 2-1 in the ACC and 15-1 overall while Florida State improves to 12-5 overall with a 2-1 conference mark.

Duke Basketball

Duke looks to remain undefeated against Florida State

January 12, 2011 Mark Watson

lance maryland 022 — The Blue Devil Bigs will need to rebound against a tough FSU team on the road. LKI Images

For the first time this season the nations top ranked team the Duke Blue Devils looked vulnerable at times in a recent win against Maryland. Duke pulled out a win and in the process pushed their season 2-0 in conference and 15-0 overall. Now the Blue Devils put on their travelling shoes as they head though a winter storm and go south to take on Florida State in Tallahassee.

There is reason to think that this could be Duke's biggest test to date for the Seminoles generally play well at home, especially when the nations top rated club comes to town. The home team is also coming off two consecutive losses, the most recent one on the road at Virginia Tech. That loss put their ACC record at 1-1 and overall they stand at 11-5. In short, a win over Duke would not only be a boost to their conference hopes, it would go a long ways towards March when the NCAA makes their selections.

Now, we've established that Duke will get Noles best shot, be it the wounded dog effect or the let's get pumped out of our minds for this one shtick. But why is this opponent especially dangerous? Let's start with their length and athleticism.

It's no secret that the Noles are led by Chris Singleton who ranks 6th in scoring and 5th in rebounding in the ACC. Singleton can slash his way through most every team and with Maryland star Jordan Williams having recent success, there is concern. Singleton is the go to guy and clearly the best scoring option.

While the rest of the team has a lot of balance on the offensive end, their defense as a collective is impressive. The Noles make teams look ugly. They hold their opposition to less points than any other team in the conference. There field goal percentage defense tops the league as well and they come in at third in the league in steals as well.

But the Noles can also board and they lead the conference in rebounding margin. And let's not forget they lead the league in blocked shots as well, swatting 7 a game.

Look for Florida State to pound the glass, especially on the offensive end where they pick up a ton of follow up baskets off said rebounds. So Duke will need to hold their own on the glass in order to win.

Look for the Noles to focus on the Duke seniors Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler on defense and that means other Blue Devils must step up this evening. That didn't happen as much as one would like against the Terps, so a huge key will be for a third player to carry the scoring load.

But let's not underestimate Coach Mike Kryzyzewski for he gives Duke as good a chance at winning as any player. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that he makes some purposeful moves along the way. In short, I feel he sometimes relishes situations where he can hold back a bit in one game in order to teach and prepare for another. There's a lot more in between the lines in this statement but we'll let you use your imagination on the rest.

Every indicator points to a tough game tonight and BDN feels it will be just that, one of those contests which has a few swings will take place. And one of those games that will keep you on the edge of your seat. We see a tough, physical game and the Blue Devils winning streak could finally come to an end.

But in the end, we think the Blue Devils will make the adjustments and take home a close win. That is of course if they can find a way to knock down some threes against a team which tops the league and holds the opposition to .282 from the stripe. The pick is Duke 71-66

Duke Basketball

Duke at Florida State Game Notes

January 11, 2011 Duke Sports Information

Game 16 [1 AP / 1 Coaches] Duke (15-0, 2-0 ACC) vs. Florida State (11-5, 1-1 ACC)
Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011 • 9:00 p.m.

The Opening Tip

• Duke faces Florida State on Wednesday, Jan. 12 in its first ACC road game of the season. Tipoff is set for 9:00 p.m.
• The game is being televised by ESPN with Dan Shulman (play-by-play), Dick Vitale (analyst) and Jeannine Edwards (sideline) calling the action.
• Duke is ranked No. 1 in the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, while Florida State is unranked in both polls.
• Duke has won 25 consecutive games entering Wednesday’s contest.
• The Blue Devils have won 14 straight games away from Cameron Indoor Stadium.
• Duke has won 27 consecutive games against unranked opponents.

Duke-Florida State Series History

• Duke and Florida State have met 36 times heading into Wednesday’s game with the first meeting between the two schools coming on Jan. 3, 1955.
• The Blue Devils lead the all-time series 30-6, including a 12-5 mark at the Donald L. Tucker Center.
• Duke has won five consecutive games and 10 of the last 12 in the series.
• Mike Krzyzewski is 28-5 at Duke against the Seminoles.
• Duke has won 24 of the last 28 games in the series (dating back to Feb. 22, 1995).
• 10 of the last 15 games in the series have been decided by 10 points or less.
• Duke has won two straight in Tallahassee.

Numbers Game
l Duke has won 25 consecutive games (longest active streak in the NCAA) dating back to a 79-72 loss at Maryland on March 3, 2010. Duke has won 33 of its last 34 games.
l The Blue Devils are looking to open the season 16-0 for just the fourth time in school history. Duke teams won the first 16 games of the season in 2005-06, 1991-92 and 1985-86. The best starts in school history are 17-0 openings to the 2005-06 and 1991-92 seasons.
l Senior Nolan Smith is the only player in the NCAA averaging at least 19.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game for the season. Smith has an ACC-best four games with at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists.
l Kyle Singler has made 21 three-point field goals in the last seven games. He is averaging 20.4 points per game, while shooting 45.7 percent from behind the arc in that span.
l Nolan Smith leads the ACC with seven games with 20 or more points scored. He has topped the 20-point mark in six of the last eight games, including a career-best 33 points on Wednesday.
l Sophomore Andre Dawkins is shooting a team-high 57.4 percent from the field, including an ACC-best 52.9 percent from three-point range. With 37 treys on the year he has already surpassed his three-point production from last season.
l Freshman Tyler Thornton came off the bench to collect a season-best four steals against Maryland. The Blue Devils have now had eight different players record three or more steals in a game this season.
l Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler are averaging 46.6 points combined over the last four games. The senior tandem has accounted for 55.1 percent of the Duke offense in that span

Duke Basketball Recruiting News

Duke entertains 2012 prospect Alex Murphy

January 10, 2011 Mark Watson

DURHAM - The Duke Blue Devils hosted Alex Murphy, one of the nations elite prospects during last evenings Maryland game. Murphy is near 6-8 and is projected as a wing or big forward and is ranked the 6th best player in his class by Prep Stars. He plays his high school basketball for St. Mark's in Southborough, MA and suits up for New England Playaz in AAU ball.

Murphy remained on campus today in order to get a better feel for the school and program. Duke Assistant Coach Chris Collins is the lead assistant for Murphy and that means he's playing a big role in the process. Collins was seen showing Murphy around last evening and answering questions during both re and post game. Murphy was accompanied by his father, Jay, a former Boston College and NBA standout.

The two sat directly behind Coach Mike Krzyzewski on the Duke bench and were stoic for much of the game, but there were some positive reactions. Those included a father and son look at one another when Cameron got really loud after a Kyle Singler play.

They also cheered as the game got tight and Duke mounted a comeback, with Murphy fist pumping and clapping more a the game wore on. Murphy was joined by 2013 prospect Jabari Parker who was hosted and shown about by Duke Assistant Coach, Nate James.

The Cameron Crazies twice cheered "Alex Murphy, come to Duke," and that brought a smile and look from Murphy.

Early returns are that both visits went well. For more details on the recruiting front, join BDN Premium and we'll keep you in the loop. Once a member, you can discuss the latest happenings with fellow members on our private message board. And you will certainly like the changes we have in store for the site, not to mention some coverage this coming week that is sure to make for a happy member.

Duke Basketball, Duke Football

BDN’s Monday Musings – Sweat, Cheerleaders, Irving, Smith, Stats, Duke Football and more sweat

January 10, 2011 Mark Watson

lance maryland 031 — And our cheerleader of the week is a member of the Dancing Devils who filled in for the cheerleaders last evening and did an admirable job. If we had a team shot, I would have selected all of them. Lance King Images for BDN

Welcome to another edition of BDN's Monday Musings where we talk of random happenings around Duke Athletics. It was fun to see the students start to come back in force in Cameron last evening and props to the dance team lasses for filling in for the cheerleaders and doing an admirable job. On to today's chatter -

Anytime you get an ACC win, it's sweet and Duke moved to 2-0 in conference with last evenings 71-64 win over a pesky Maryland team. When the Terps come to town, you will always hear "Sweat Gary Sweat," from the Cameron Crazies but last evening, a few Blue Devil fans were sweating along with him, as Duke found themselves trailing by as many as 6 points at home. But the team itself never seemed too worried, or should I say the staff never fretted, from my vantage on press row. Duke has been in these games before and with 883 wins, this is not Coach Krzyzewski's first rodeo.

For the first time since his toe injury, the media didn't question Coach K on Kyrie Irving's status in the post game press conference. And last night seemed like the first time the focus turned to the team on the court and that is probably a good thing. As crazy as it sounds, Irving's toe gets more hits than Duke Basketball itself of late, just ask many of the ACC bloggers who speak of his status on a regular basis, like my pal Brett Friedlander who writes an ACC Insider column for Star News in Wilmington. Of course, there was a Seth Davis tweet last night alluding to some sort of breaking news he would share on the "toe' a bit later. Does he have the "real" scoop? If he does, he is in rare air, for the real deal is protected like Fort Knox and not the type of fodder which might leak. Irving has avoided surgery and his mystery injury to be named later seems to be on the mend. Maybe we are blindly positive, but we think Irving returns to the court down the road. If I am wrong, I am wrong, but my hunches are usually accurate. As for the getting into shape questions ... I will take Iriving at 80% any day, eh?

Taking a look at Atlantic Coast Conference stats, you'll see that Nolan Smith leads the league in scoring and assists. Yep, he's the current heads on favorite to win ACC Player of the Year, but we have a long ways to go. Kyle Singler moved ahead of Jordan Williams into third place in scoring last evening as well. It is also worth noting that Duke scores ten more points a game than any other conference team.

Duke's next contest is indeed a "trap game." Florida State is coming off a road loss to but they are 1-1 overall and tough when they play at home. The Seminoles are long and athletic and they struggle at times scoring the ball, but they get pumped up when Duke comes to town, especially when they're the defending national champions and number one ranked team in America. At 15-0 and atop the polls, Duke will get every team's best shot.

Duke had two prospects at last nights game, one being junior Alex Murphy a wing forward who is ranked in most top ten lists for his class. Jabari Parker, a 2013 budding front court player. For more on Duke Basketball Recruiting, join BDN Premium for the latest.

The odds on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy next season in college football will be Stanford's Andrew Luck. It's rare that a possible first pick in the NFL Draft opts to return. Duke Football will take on the Cardinal next season in Wallace Wade Stadium, so you will get a chance to see him go up against Sean Renfree and the Blue Devils. As for Luck, turning down 5o million with a new agreement being reached on rookie salaries going into place the following year, this situation is something he might consider revisiting. Meanwhile the struggling Carolina Panthers await and one has to think San Francisco may negotiate a trade with Jim Harbaugh at the helm.

Check out the Duke Blue Devils Women's Basketball team, which is ranked #3 in the nation! Coach P's gals have avoided nobody with a tough early season schedule yet they remain undefeated. Duke is still a work in progress as the entire team is getting minutes thus far. Of those players, many are very young and that bodes well in the future as does a stellar class coming in to join them next season. That said, all I have left to say is Jasmine Thomas is a gamer, worthy of the name Ms. Clutch.

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