Duke Senior Mason Plumlee continues his consistent play scoring 21 points to go with 14 rebounds in the Blue Devils 76-54 win over Elon. He recorded an ACC leading seventh double-double on the season and he has scored at least 16 points in his last 12 games at Duke. BDN caught up to Plumlee after the win -
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Duke drops Elon – Coach K talks the game and Marshall Plumlee’s injury
DURHAM, N.C. - After a sluggish start, the undefeated and number one ranked Duke Blue Devils used a couple of second half runs to defeat Elon by a 76-54 score. The Blue Devils will go into the holiday break with an 11-0 record before returning to the court against Santa Clara on December 29th.
Duke was once again led by senior standout Mason Plumlee who scores 21 points to go with 15 rebounds. Plumlee leads the ACC by a wide margin for double-doubles on the season, but he still feels he can get better. "I left a few points on the floor, so I can play better," said a humble Plumlee in the post game locker room.
But there is more than one key to the Blue Devils early success where they've taken on all comers. And the most prominent reason is team chemistry, something every player touched on. While Duke was inconsistent on the evening in perhaps one of their least pretty efforts of the year, they came around as the game went on, wearing down Elon which drops to 6-5 on the season.
Tyler Thornton helped break the game open with successive three-point shots in the second half and the Blue Devils never looked back and he totaled 8 points in the game, Ryan Kelly added 14, Rasheed Sulaimon 13 and Quinn Cook 10 and a career high 8 rebounds from the guard spot.
Coach Krzyzewski also addressed the aforementioned team chemistry in the post game, saying this team was as tight as any since Kyrie Irvings freshman season. Check out what Krzyzewski had to say via BDN Video where he addresses Marshall Plumlees injury and more -
Mason Plumlee Post Game Comments
Check out what Mason Plumlee had to say post game after the big Duke win over Cornell through BDN Video. We will combine the recaps from the Cornell game with tonight's Elon, so be sure to check back for our overall thoughts on the back to back games.
A Selfless Act of Kindness from Duke WR Desmond Scott
DURHAM, N.C. - One of the things which has impressed me as a media member since Duke Coach David Cutcliffe has been at the helm of the football program is the fact that his players have character. No, this is not a statement from homer media, but something grounded with actual facts. There have been many instances where Duke football players have been active in the Durham community and beyond. Last season several offensive linemen went to Africa to help some in need. And the list goes on.
The latest act of goodwill is from Desmond Scott. The senior wideout is a player of high character and conducts himself during interviews the same way he lives his life, with high standards, always thinking first of others. While Scott is not afraid to joke or be light with teammates as you will see in the video chat I had with him below, he knows when to get serious too.
I had spoken with Coach Cutcliffe on several occasions in the past about Scott and his selflessness. Here was a player who had played running back at Durham Hillside, just down to road from Duke University, as well as in his first three years at the college level. But in the pre-season, Duke suddenly was devoid of depth at the wideout position following the unfortunate accident involving Blair Holliday. Scott willingly changed positions.
That position change from running back to wideout allowed Cutcliffe to get his best players on the field, something he referenced again today. But I also learned of Scott and his latest selfless act today as well. Players participating in bowls are allowed $550.00 in benefits, and Duke players -- who will face Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl in Charlotte -- have that luxury available to them.
Belk allows the players from both teams to enjoy a $550.00 shopping spree at their anchor Belk store in Charlotte, but Scott told Blue Devil Nation today that he would not be shopping for himself. And he would not be shopping for parents or family members either. Instead, as his family has no pressing needs, Scott decided that he will shop for others, so that he could share his gift with someone less fortunate during the holiday season. Pretty nice, huh? See for yourself what Desmond Scott had to say in our latest BDN Video offering, and know that Duke football players are truly young men you can be proud of.
No Rainy Days with This Monday – Duke Punter Named All ACC
DURHAM, N.C. - Several years ago a sugary pop group named the Carpenters had a big hit on the charts called "Rainy Days and Mondays." The lyrics went like this: "Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down." There was a time when that type of gloominess and despair applied to Duke's kicking game, but Will Monday has changed all that.
A couple of weeks ago, Monday, Duke's freshman punter, was in class when a friend messaged him on Facebook telling him he'd been selected to the All-ACC team. Monday was elated at the news. "It's something that has definitely been one of my goals and to win it as a freshman, and it means a lot to me and has helped me achieve one of my goals," he said. But Monday had to admit that he actually was not surprised; in fact, he expected the honor.
That's one of the things I learned about the ACC's best punter during our recent conversation. Monday places very high expectations on himself, and does not consider failure to be an option. To him, being the top punter in the ACC is just a start. What he really wants is to be the best in the entire nation. And it's that kind of confidence in his abilities plus his desire to improve further that should drive him towards his goal of being named 1st team All-American.
The youthful Monday, son of Bedford and Judy Monday, hails from Flowery Branch, Georgia. And when asked who congratulated him first on the all-ACC selection, Monday said, "Well, my parents were very happy for me. They were so excited knowing this is something I had been wanting, to be able to be named the best at your position in my freshman year, and so they were proud of how much I have worked to get this. I got texts from my coaches and high school teammates as well."
Monday was a known commodity coming out of high school, ranked as the best schoolboy punter in most of the recruiting ratings. The expectations that come with those rankings are something he learned to deal with early on, so it was no surprise that he was cool under the pressure of big-time college football, right out of the gate. "I felt pressure in high school. I felt pressure in camps and I felt pressure when I got here. But it is not something I am not used to and I have always put expectations on myself to succeed and be the best I can at every opportunity. So while it is challenging, you have to keep your head up and move on to the next play."
Standing 6'4" and weighing in at 210 pounds, Monday is not likely the butt of kicker jokes. In fact, he played baseball, basketball and soccer before trying out as a kicker for his high school football team as a freshman. So we're talking about an athlete here. "I started kicking in my freshman year in high school and did really well," said Monday. "After my sophomore season in high school I really figured out the punting thing, and I have a better frame to be a punter than a kicker. So I went with it, started going to a bunch of camps and started to get recognition. I quickly saw I had an opportunity to get a scholarship in this sport, and it worked out for me with concern to both education and football."
Monday was recruited by pretty much everybody, and could practically name his school. But he bought into what Duke Coach David Cutcliffe and his staff were selling. "I always liked Duke growing up and the school has always intrigued me. I was a basketball fan when I was little and living in Charlotte. When an opportunity came available, I met with the coaches and liked what they had going on in Durham. They seemed like they were looking out for you and they told us you would grow as a man in our program. I was able to use football to get to a great school, one that without football I would not have been able to go to, and at Duke I think I have really maxed my opportunities in both education and football."
Patience does not come easily to a confident young man, especially when he's accustomed to being a star on the athletic field. But before Monday sent his first punt booming in Wallace Wade Stadium, he had to sit out a year as a redshirt. It was not easy sitting behind Duke punter Alex King, who transferred to Texas for his senior season, as he knew Monday was gaining on him quickly. But the redshirt used that extra year to learn from the sidelines, getting stronger every day, and thus the wait -- while difficult -- proved worth it in the end.
"It was definitely tough (to redshirt) always being a starter throughout high school, and having to come here and sit on the bench. But it was an experience I'm glad I got to be a part of, and I learned a lot giving me time to figure out the coaches and how they did things at Duke. And it allowed me to get stronger and better at what I do," Monday said.
When Duke heads to the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, a lot of people will analyze how exactly they got there. When doing so it's going to be hard not to notice the big improvement in the Blue Devils' kicking game. Monday's teammate, placekicker Ross Martin, has been earning honors of his own of late, and the two freshmen have stimulated high hopes for a bright future in Durham. "Ross (Martin) and I met each other while at summer camps, so we knew each other. And when he came here, I knew right away that we would have a bond that would carry us through our four years and we would flourish together. Ross is a good guy with his head on straight and from a good family, so we meshed right away."
It's been 18 years since Duke last played in a bowl game, and had the Blue Devils not solidified their kicking game it wouldn't have happened this year either. The days of chip shot field goals being botched as time elapses or a key punt being shanked are over for the foreseeable future. And if the rest of the team commits to perfecting their game in the same way that Will Monday has, then the best of Blue Devil football is yet to come.
BDN Duke Basketball Notebook – A look at the schedule ahead
In this edition of the Duke Basketball Notebook, I take a look at the schedule ahead while adding in some insights from covering the Duke beat.
Next up, Temple
Duke will face the Temple Owls in the Carquest Auto Parts Classic in Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey this Saturday, after which there will be an eleven day break before the next game. Look for Duke to seek a bit if revenge from the loss the Owls pinned on them last year. The Blue Devils should also be focused on going into the break on a high note. We'll preview the Blue Devils and Owls later this week, but until then here are some of my idle thoughts mixed with some facts about the upcoming December schedule.
Withdrawal Begins
Duke fans and their team have had little time to breathe, with games coming at a breakneck pace. The Blue Devils have faced all comers and have remained undefeated through the toughest early-season stretch I can remember any college team ever playing. After the Temple game comes an eleven day break before Duke faces Cornell on December 19th. And after that and Elon the following night, there is another nine-day stretch until they play Santa Clara just before the New Year.
Cupcakes by Duke Standards
No disrespect is intended towards Cornell, Elon and Santa Clara, but these schools represent the easiest games left on the Duke schedule. Coach Krzyzewski will use these opportunities to further develop Alex Murphy and Amile Jefferson off the bench, and possibly Marshall Plumlee too, who should be back. Of course, everybody will be developing, but fan interest is naturally highest on this season's newcomers.
High Noon
I've been around since Coach Mike Krzyzewski took over at Duke, and we both came up in a time when Saturday games were the norm. But in today's world Sunday games permeate the landscape, simply for television purposes. I agree with Krzyzewski, who has long felt that kids need their Sunday for rest and preparation for the week ahead in classes, and that a late night start is a major hindrance. The prime-time TV-dictated starts basically steal the kids' weekends while penalizing them for being successful. In this sense the Duke program in a way is a victim of its own success, because nobody wants bottom feeders playing on Sunday evening. Starting with the game versus Santa Clara, Duke will play three consecutive games on Saturday starting at high noon, and that will allow the kids to have an actual weekend and a little time to relax.
If I may wallow in nostalgia for a moment, I surely miss those Saturday games which started no later than 4:00, because even media feels the grind. For example, the Ohio State game in Cameron started on Thursday at 9:30 PM and ended early on Friday. It was 12:30 AM when Coach Krzyzeswski finished up at the podium, and then videos had to be formatted, articles written, and photos gathered, and by the time that is done, I am walking to my car around 2:15 AM. My point is that the decisionmakers often don't consider how late starts or Sunday night games can take a toll on all involved, especially the student-athletes, but also the coaches and the media.
Holiday Games not Necessarily a Bad Thing
There was a time when many felt that the December games which fell around student breaks and the holidays were a disadvantage for Duke, but in recent years that trend has changed. It was about four years ago when I was walking up to Cameron on a sunny, crisp December afternoon noticing the lack of tickets available and their eventual price, which shocked me. Never had I remembered holiday games bringing more than face value to the always sold-out Cameron Indoor Stadium. Each year Duke gives average fans a chance to purchase holiday-time game tickets when the students are on break. This means no band or cheerleaders, so there is an unusual atmosphere. That used to make for an odd, unorganized and uncertain air to the stadium, and it still does -- but in a good way. Fans from all walks of life who never get to come to Cameron are there, and are itching to get close to their team. Some have made the journey for the first time to what is termed by many as a religious experience, while others just want to show they're forty-something year-old Cameron Crazies who can still cheer with the best of them. What you see is unbridled and rabid support for the Blue Devils. Although in the past there have been ACC games scheduled during the time when the students were gone, for the most part Duke tries to schedule cupcakes during this time. Personally, I like the full effect of Cameron with the students, cheerleaders and band in play, but the contrast offered by the holidays is not necessarily a bad thing.
The ACC Season begins on January 5th
Duke will open its ACC season on January 5th at home against Wake Forest and then play Clemson in Cameron three days later. The Blue Devils will have built quite the resume by then if they get past Temple and Davidson.
But Kryzyzewski will not let them forget that the ACC is a new season and winning the conference is always a major goal in Durham. January will provide two tough road tests for Duke against N.C. State and Miami, as well and home games versus Georgia Tech and Maryland, the latter looking like upper division material. With the ACC expanding, winning regular season ACC titles will soon become harder than ever and that means ....
... the ACC Tournament will get its swag back
With Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse and Louisville joining the Atlantic Coast Conference, not only will regular season titles become a tough get, but so will ACC Tournament tickets. In the past few years, there have been some occasional attendance problems to event, which used to consistently sell out and indeed was one of the most highly sought-after tickets of the year. But soon, with the new conference additions, tickets to the ACC Tournament will again be hot, hot, hot.
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