[7 AP / 5 Coaches] Duke (19-3, 6-1) vs. Miami (13-7, 4-3)
Sunday, February 5, 2012 • 3:05 p.m. • ESPNU
The Opening Tip
• Duke (19-3, 6-1) faces Miami (13-7, 4-3) on Sunday, Feb. 5 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Tipoff is set for 3:05 p.m.
• Jon Sciambi (play-by-play), Jimmy Dykes (analyst) and Allison Williams (sideline) will call the game for ESPNU.
• Duke is ranked No. 7 in the AP Poll and No. 5 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. Miami is unranked in both polls. The Blue Devils are 78-20 all-time when ranked seventh in the AP Poll.
• The Blue Devils are looking to top the 20-win mark for the 16th consecutive season. Duke has won 30 or more games in each of the last three seasons.
• Duke ranks No. 1 in Strength of Schedule and No. 2 in RPI according to ESPN.com. The Blue Devils are one of four teams (Syracuse, Michigan State & Kansas) in the NCAA to rank in the top 10 of the RPI, Strength of Schedule, AP and Coaches Polls.
Duke-Miami Series
• Duke and Miami have met 17 times heading into Sunday’s game with the first meeting between the two schools coming on Dec. 21, 1962.
• The Blue Devils lead the all-time series 15-2, including a 7-0 mark at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
• Duke has won 11 of the 12 meetings since the Hurricanes joined the Atlantic Coast Conference.
• Mike Krzyzewski is 15-1 at Duke against Miami with a 7-0 mark at home.
• Duke has won five straight games in the series with three of the five victories coming by 10 points or less.
• Krzyzewski’s only loss to Miami was a 96-95 defeat on Feb. 20, 2008. It was also the last time the Blue Devils lost a game when scoring 90 or more points. Duke is 265-8 under Coach K when scoring 90+ points in a game.
• Duke has scored 80 or more points in 12 of its 17 games against Miami.
Numbers Game
l Duke has been ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll for 87 straight weeks, the third-longest streak in NCAA history.
l The Blue Devils are one of seven teams in the NCAA with five or more players averaging 10 or more points per game. Duke has finished the year with five double-figure scorers six times under Mike Krzyzewski.
l Duke is the only school in the ACC with five players averaging over 11.0 points per game in league play. Ryan Kelly (13.9), Austin Rivers (12.9), Andre Dawkins (11.9), Mason Plumlee (11.4) and Seth Curry (11.4) each rank in the top 25 in the ACC in scoring through seven league games.
l The Blue Devils rank 11th nationally in scoring at 80.0 points per game, despite facing seven opponents that rank in top 50 nationally in scoring defense.
l Duke is one win shy of reaching the 20-win plateau for the 16th consecutive season. The Blue Devils have won 20 or more games 26 times under Mike Krzyzewski.
l Austin Rivers, a five-time ACC Rookie of the Week pick, is averaging a team-high 14.1 points per game. Johnny Dawkins was the last Blue Devil freshman to lead the team in scoring in 1983.
l Mason Plumlee is one of two players (joined by Keith Clanton, Central Florida) in the NCAA averaging at least 10.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game.
l Ryan Kelly leads the ACC in three-point percentage among players who have attempted at least 50 threes. He is shooting 47.2 percent (25-of-53) from three-point range on the season, including 51.9 percent (14-of-27) over the last 12 games.
l Mason Plumlee has improved his free throw shooting over the last four games, going 22-of-29 (.759) from the line during that span. He was shooting 39.8 percent (37-of-93) from the free throw line prior to that stretch. Plumlee ranked fourth in the ACC in free throw attempts per game (5.5 ftpg.).
l Tyler Thornton leads the Blue Devils with a +15.52 points per game plus/minus ratio per 40 minutes played.
l Ryan Kelly is one of just two players (Wake Forest’s C.J. Harris) in the ACC shooting over 45.0 percent from the field and from three-point range.
l Mason Plumlee and Miles Plumlee combine to average 15.6 rebounds per game. One of the Plumlees has led the team in rebounds in 20 of 22 games. The brother tandem has also combined for 14 double-figures rebounding efforts.
l Austin Rivers is averaging a team-high 15.4 points and shooting 50.0 percent (57-of-114) from the field in Duke’s 11 home games
[8 AP / 6 Coaches] Duke (17-3, 5-1 ACC) vs. St. John’s (9-11, 3-6 Big East)
Saturday, January 28, 2012 • 12:03 p.m. • ESPN
The Opening Tip
• Duke (17-3, 5-1 ACC) hosts St. John’s (9-11, 3-6 Big East) in its final non-conference tilt of the regular season on Saturday, Jan. 28 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Tipoff is set for 12:03 p.m.
• Brent Musburger (play-by-play) and Dick Vitale (analyst) will call the game for ESPN.
• Duke is ranked No. 8 in the AP Poll and No. 6 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. St. John’s is unranked in both polls. The Blue Devils are 71-16 all-time when ranked eighth in the AP Poll.
• Duke is one of three teams (Baylor and Kansas are the others) in the NCAA to rank in the top 10 of the RPI, Strength of Schedule, AP and Coaches Polls.
• The Blue Devils had a 45-game home win streak snapped last Saturday and have not lost consecutive home contests since February of 2007. Duke has not lost more than one game at home in the last five seasons.
Duke-St. John’s Series
• Duke and St. John’s have met 20 times heading into Saturday’s game with the first meeting between the two schools coming on Feb. 4, 1938.
• The Blue Devils lead the all-time series 14-6, including a 5-1 mark at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
• Duke fell to St. John’s a year ago, but has won seven of the last eight contests in the series.
• Mike Krzyzewski is 14-3 at Duke against the Red Storm, including a 5-1 record in Durham.
• Duke has won five straight in the series at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils have a +23.0 scoring margin in that span.
• The Blue Devils have won 93 straight non-conference home games since falling to St. John’s, 83-82, on Feb. 26, 2000.
• Duke’s last two victories in the series have been by 10 points or less. The Blue Devils’ previous seven wins over St. John’s were all by double figures.
Numbers Game
l Duke has been ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll for 86 straight weeks, the third-longest streak in NCAA history.
l Duke has won 93 straight non-conference home games, the longest current streak in the NCAA. The last home loss against a non-conference opponent for the Blue Devils was on Feb. 26, 2000 against St. John’s, 83-82.
l The Blue Devils have won 87 straight games at Cameron Indoor Stadium against unranked non-conference opponents.
l Duke is 59-2 at home since the start of the 2008-09 season.
l The Blue Devils are one of 12 teams in the NCAA with five or more players averaging 10 or more points per game. Duke has finished the year with five double-figure scorers six times under Mike Krzyzewski.
l Austin Rivers, a four-time ACC Rookie of the Week selection, is averaging a team-high 14.2 points per game. Johnny Dawkins was the last Blue Devil freshman to lead the team in scoring in 1983.
l Mason Plumlee collected his eighth double-double of the season (tied for most in the ACC) with 23 points and 12 rebounds in Wednesday’s win over Maryland. He has collected 12 or more rebounds in a game 12 times this season.
l Ryan Kelly is shooting 47.2 percent (25-of-53) from three-point range on the season, including 51.9 percent (14-of-27) over the last 11 games. He shot just 30.7 percent (27-of-88) in his first two seasons at Duke.
l Mason Plumlee and Miles Plumlee combine to average 15.7 rebounds per game. One of the Plumlees has led the team in rebounds in 18 of 20 games.
l Tyler Thornton leads the ACC in assist-to-turnover ratio (6.7:1) through six conference games. He has 20 assists with just three turnovers in the last six games for the Blue Devils.
l Mason Plumlee has improved his free throw shooting over the last four games, going 15-of-18 (.833) from the line during that span. He was shooting 39.8 percent (37-of-93) from the free throw line prior to that stretch. Plumlee averages 5.6 free throw attempts per game.
l Austin Rivers is averaging a team-high 15.7 ppg. at home this season. He is shooting 51.5 percent from the field, including 43.2 percent from three-point range, in 10 games at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
l Andre Dawkins is averaging 4.0 threes per game and 15.5 ppg. over the last four contests.
l Duke University is honoring the All-American Athletic Association on Saturday. This is their 40th year as ushers in Cameron, and since 1972, they have raised over $450,000 for local charities.
On a night when Duke hit just 3 of 15 from three point range, stellar free throw shooting and a huge effort from Mason Plumlee helped them gain a 74-61 win over Maryland. The table was set for an upset and the Maryland crowd was as laying in wait in crazed droves but when you knock down 17 of 18 free throws on the road, you eventually silence them and that's just what the Blue Devils did.
Speaking of free throws, Mason Plumlee went 5 of 5 from the stripe and dominated the Terps in the paint, scoring 23 points to go with 12 rebounds, 4 assists and a late game block. It was perhaps the juniors most efficient game as a Blue Devil and his performance helped Duke fo to 5-1 in the ACC and 17-3 overall. His 23 points were his most in an ACC game and his second career 20 point game.
After being down early, Duke rode their post play and ultimately gained a 37-34 halftime lead and that momentum carried over into the second half where the Blue Devils eventually found a working margin. That working margin came when they started getting scoring from their guards, namely, Austin Rivers.
The Duke guards of Curry, Dawkins, Rivers and Thornton had just 4 combined points at the half, but Rivers found the open lane for 8 2nd half points. Thornton would later add some key points to help Duke hold onto a late lead and Curry and Dawkins both had off games combining for just 3 of 15 from the field.
The Blue Devils also received a good effort from junior, Ryan Kelly who went an efficient 5 of 7 from the field to go with 4 boards and 3 blocked shots. Miles Plumlee added another 7 points and Josh Hairston 2 to round out the scoring for the Blue Devils.
The Blue Devils took advantage of their height and outrebounded Maryland by 5 and they went down low early and often adjusting to the defense designed to push them off the 3 point stripe. In short, Duke took another teams best shot and came out with a huge road win in a most hostile environment. And to make their win more impressive. Quinn Cook stayed home with a bruised knee and fellow freshman Michael Gbinije kept him company being sick himself.
The defense showed up as well for Duke, holding Maryland to 27 second half points after they cut off some of the passing lanes int he post. They also held Maryland to 40% from the field and 61 points.
The Blue Devils are more than happy to come away with the win with just eight scholarship players available. And this is the kind of win that takes the some of the sting out of their upset loss at home to Florida State. The Blue Devils head back to Durham where they'll play their last out of conference game against St. John's on Saturday in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke improved to 111-61 in the all-time series against Maryland, which started in 1926. Duke has now won four straight in the series and 10 of the last 11 games
Team Notes:
• Mike Krzyzewski improved his career record against Maryland to 52-21. Coach K is 22-10 all-time in College Park, Md.
• Duke won its third straight ACC road game. Duke is 9-2 when playing away from Cameron Indoor Stadium.
• Duke has now won 13 consecutive games following a loss and is now 21-2 following a loss over the last five seasons. Duke has not lost back-to-back games since Feb. 11 & Feb. 15, 2009.
• Junior forward Mason Plumlee had the best game of his career, recording a double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 9-of-13 (.692) from the floor.
• Duke had one of its best free throw shooting performances in school history, finishing 17-of-18 from the line for a .944 percentage. That ties for the 10th highest mark in school history and the team’s highest mark since March 6, 201 (22-of-23, .957).
• Duke outscored Maryland 40-28 in the paint, thanks largely to the production of brothers Mason and Miles Plumlee. Those two dominated the paint early, combining for 18 points, and eight rebounds in the first half while sinking 7-of-9 shots.
• Duke played without freshman point guard Quinn Cook (illness) for the first time. Junior Seth Curry and sophomore Tyler Thornton split time at the point and combined for 15 points, four assists and two turnovers. Curry and Thornton combined to hit eight straight free throws over the final 1:17.
• Duke, which leads the ACC in three-pointers made (158) and three-point percentage (.400), made just three treys in the game. The 3-of-16 performance yielded a .188 three-point percentage, which was the lowest of the season.
• The Blue Devils held Maryland guard Terrell Stoglin, the ACC’s leading scorer with 21.2 points per game, to 16 points. Stoglin, who also ranked third in the ACC with a .410 three-point shooting percentage, went 0-of-4 from three-point range.
• Duke did not miss a free throw until 6:19 remained in the game.
• With just over two minutes into the second half, Duke pulled in three consecutive offensive rebounds on one possession and eventually converted the extra opportunities into a three-pointer by Ryan Kelly. Duke missed its first three three-point attempts during that scoring opportunity before Kelly finally knocked one down to put Duke ahead 42-38 with 17:34 remaining.
• Duke trailed 47-46 with 12:55 remaining in the game, but opened up a 10-2 run to claim its biggest lead of the night at the 8:52 mark. Duke went 5-of-7 from the floor during that run and got a three-point play from Mason Plumlee.
Player Notes:
Seth Curry
• Made his 33rd consecutive start. Duke is 27-6 during that 33-game start streak.
• Saw more time at the point with Quinn Cook out due to an illness. Curry scored eight points on two field goals and a 4-for-4 performance from the free throw line.
Andre Dawkins
• Hit a three-pointer for the sixth straight game. Dawkins leads Duke and ranks second in the ACC with a .409 three-point percentage (min. 90 att.).
Ryan Kelly
• Recorded three blocks in the first half, including rejections on back-to-back layup attempts by Maryland forward James Padgett. Padgett attempted his first layup two feet from the basket and was blocked by Kelly, but grabbed the rebound. He tried again and was blocked by Kelly for a second time, giving Duke the ball in the process.
• Scored in double figures for the 13th time this season with 14 points of 5-of-7 shooting. Kelly has scored in double figures in four of Duke’s six ACC games and is averaging a team-leading 13.7 points per game since Duke opened conference play.
Mason Plumlee
• Made his 41st consecutive start. Duke is 34-7 during that 41-game streak.
• Had his best offensive performance of the season, going 9-of-13 from the floor on the way to an ACC career-high 23 points. Plumlee scored 12 points in the first half and 11 in the second.
• Recorded his team-leading eighth double-double of the season, matching his 23 points with 12 rebounds. Plumlee is tied for the most double-doubles in the ACC alongside North Carolina’s John Henson.
• Continued his improved free throw shooting, going a perfect 5-of-5 from the line. Over his past four games, he is 15-of-18 (.833) from the FT line.
• Converted his sixth three-point play of the season and his third in the last three games. Plumlee also threw down three dunks.
Miles Plumlee
• Contributed seven points and four rebounds in 18 minutes of action. Plumlee has at least seven rebounds in seven games this season.
• Finished an efficient 3-of-4 from the floor to improve his team-leading shooting percentage to .671. Over halfway through the season, Plumlee is on pace to finish among Duke’s top three in that category if he can meet the 100 made field goals threshold. He currently has 53 made field goals this season.
Austin Rivers
• Scored in double figures for the team-leading 16th time this season.
• Took over in the second half, scoring eight of his 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Rivers attempted just one three-pointer in the second half, instead getting all of his production on driving layups and a runner.
Tyler Thornton
• Converted his second career three-point play with just over one minute remaining in the first half. Duke led 34-32 before Thornton sank a driving layup after contact and then knocked down the ensuing free throw.
Blessed with a preternatural ability to score, Wayne Selden is a strapping 6'5" power guard from the Tilton School of New Hampshire. Although he's been playing varsity basketball since he was a seventh grader in his native Roxbury, Massachusetts, he announced his arrival as a reclassified freshman last season when he scored twenty-six points and knocked down six three-pointers in his opening game for Tilton at the National Prep Showcase.
The 2014 prospect went on to earn second-team All-NEPSAC Class AA in the best high school conference in the country. Last March, at Endicott College, Wayne Selden capped off his freshman season by scoring twenty-two points for the Rams of Tilton in a 72-56 Class AA Title game win against St. Mark's, which featured Arizona commitment Kaleb Tarczewski, Michigan commitment Nik Stauskas, and Duke redshirt freshman Alex Murphy.
The winning ways didn't end there as Selden, blessed with a 6'10" wingspan, helped multiple Boston Amateur Basketball Clubs (BABC) achieve success throughout the AAU season. His 17-U team went 80-4 over the spring and summer, notably winning Nike's EYBL Peach Jam, while his 16-U team was named number one overall by Five Star Basketball after capturing the AAU National Title in Orlando. He's become quite close to BABC staff member and former BC guard Steve Hailey.
Following the AAU season, Wayne was diagnosed with Compartment Syndrome and had to have surgery to alleviate the pain associated with the malady. If, after sitting out Tilton's first few weeks of pre-season training, there were any concerns about his ability to maintain his explosiveness, Selden answered them quickly last month as the sophomore scored thirty-four points against the best prep school team in the country, Brewster Academy, in a tough 84-76 loss. In a rematch against Brewster, Selden scored sixteen points on six of ten shooting in a packed house at Springfield College in another tough loss, 57-53.
Afterwards, Wayne Selden gave a quick update about, amongst other things, the latest in his recruiting, Duke's interest, and what he'll be looking for in his future college program.
Can you talk about the competition you face in the conference and also in the game today?
It’s real big competition. Everybody’s really solid . So, it’s always a battle whenever you step onto the court.
And in terms of preparing you long-term for college..
Yeah, it’s probably for the best. I feel like it’s the best league in the country. So, it’s probably the best preparatory for me for college.
[private]
This is your second high school. I know you re-classified.
Yeah, this is my second one. I went to O’Bryant [nearly ninety miles south in Roxbury, Massachusetts] first.
In terms of position, do you see yourself as a two or a three?
I probably think of myself as a two or a one.
What’s your current size?
6’5”, 235.
Who do you model your game after?
I don’t really try to model my game after anybody, but I like to watch Kevin Durant and LeBron James. I like to watch how aggressive they are out there.
Can you talk about your strengths and where you like shooting the ball?
Probably about two steps behind the three point line. I feel I have to have the confidence to be able to knock it down.
And what about attacking the basket? I really feel like that’s one of your strengths.
Yeah, I really like to attack the basket because.. out there you just got to go and just put pressure on the defense, you know what I’m saying?
You can really score in any setting, but do you prefer to be in the open court? Do you like an up-tempo style of play?
Yeah, that’s what I really like. I feel like I can really explode in the open court.
Talk about your familiarity with some of the guys from the BABC. You obviously have a comfort level or a bond with them from playing with these guys almost 12 months a year.
Yeah, absolutely, we’ve been playing together for almost three years, so it’s become pretty normal for us.
You guys have become pretty tight.
Oh, yeah, definitely.
In terms of recruiting, what schools are after you?
I've got offers from Kentucky, UConn, Boston College, Providence, West Virginia, Florida, Missouri, I think that’s it.
How about other schools that are showing interest?
Duke is showing interest. Ohio State, Georgetown, and Arizona are also. Those are really the only other schools.
In terms of a timeline, are you in a rush to decide?
No, I’m just going to take it as it goes, I’m open.
Do you go to Celtic practices? I know Nerlens talked about watching them play with Coach Papile [of BABC and the Celtics].
Yeah, we go to Celtics practices. (laughs)
Away from the court, what do you like?
You know I’m just a chill kid. I just like playing basketball, listening to music, hanging out with my friends. That’s it pretty much.
Are you a good student?
I’m an honor roll student, but I had one C this semester.
Alright, borderline honor roll student.
(laughs)
How about visits? In terms of visits, do you have any ones planned?
No, not yet, but I've been to Boston College, Providence, and UConn so far.
What will you be looking for whenever you do decide?
The school, a family atmosphere, a winning tradition, and one that can take me to the next level.
That's pretty blunt or straightforward. Who will be the person you’ll be turning to for guidance whenever you do decide?
My family and my mentor, Steven Haley.
What is it like playing with a guy like Nerlens and having him defend right behind you?
I like playing with him because it’s like having a cheat code. He’s always blocking shots and getting the fast-break going. He's got your back and likes to push the pace when it's there.
How do you feel about your defense at this point?
I feel like I play really solid defense. I feel like my on-the-ball defense is pretty good, but I have to work on my off-the-ball defense a lot more.
In terms of your recruiting, what are some of the common things about the schools that are recruiting you?
I really don’t know. I haven’t put too much thought into recruiting yet. I haven’t had a chance to see a lot of schools.
What about Duke’s interest?
Coach K has been at our school at least once and I think maybe twice this fall. It was good that they showed interest and they said that they were interested and keep up what I’ve been doing with basketball.
And what do you know about the program?
I know they have a winning tradition. They’re a very traditional school. I like how they win.
And would you be open to them if they continue to pursue you?
Oh, yeah, I’m definitely open to them and I hope they continue to pursue me.
Stanley Johnson, a 6'6" wing from Mater Dei, has experienced quite a bit in the past year. As a freshman, the Fullerton native helped the Monarchs of Mater Dei win their eighth state title, grabbing fifteen rebounds in the state title game against De La Salle. Johnson was named a MaxPreps Freshman All-American.
Last June, Stanley was expected to give a defensive presence to the USA U-16 team as they competed for the FIBA Americas U-16 Championship in Mexico. Although Johnson was the youngest member of the USA U-16 team, he wound up starting the first two games in Cancun, against Brazil and Argentina, respectively, before suffering a fracture-dislocation of his left index finger at 4:03 of the first quarter of the second game, which eliminated his ability to play for the remainder of the tournament. Despite the injury, the 2014 prospect enjoyed representing his country, his time with his eleven teammates, including roommate and friend Tyus Jones, and scored fourteen points in the opening game against Brazil.
The youngest of five, Johnson gets some of his pedigree and tutelage from his mother, Karen Taylor, who was able to play both forward positions at Jackson State and professionally in France. He wears the number 41 in honor of her, believing that four plus one means grace.
Last month, Stanley, a sophomore, was tasked by Mater Dei head coach Gary McKnight with guarding Duke 2012 recruit, Shabazz Muhammad, at the City of Palms in Ft. Myers, FL. Johnson held arguably the most explosive scorer in the 2012 class to two first-half points by forcing him to use his right hand. This Monday at the HoopHall Classic at Springfield College, he overcame a sub-par shooting night (3/10 FG) to contribute a team-high fifteen rebounds and nine points, while utilizing his athleticism and physical play to employ solid defense on Christ The King. The night before he won the 2012 Hoop Hall Slam Dunk Contest with an explosive dunk off of a pass out of the bleachers from his senior teammate Katin Reinhardt.
Stanley Johnson spoke afterwards with Blue Devil Nation about a variety of issues, including his experience with USA Basketball, his mother's influence, Duke's recent interest, defending Austin Rivers, and being labeled a team player.
Talk about the game today.
It was a really good win for the team. We had a lot of guys get into the game, which is always good. We played really hard and I think it was one of the best games we played this season... and it showed on the scoreboard. I think if we keep playing like we did today, we’ll be pretty good.
Well, you guys play a pretty competitive schedule.
Playing a competitive schedule makes you play harder because you have the ability to lose at any time. Our coach says that he’s going to schedule us in these competitive games because we play harder in these harder games and he wants to challenge us.
[private]
I guess the long-term benefits would be success in the state playoffs. That’s what you guys are going for.
Yeah, the long-term goals are the state playoffs and trying to win another state title, where we’ll hopefully be more used to the physical and tough competition than the opposition will be. That's the game plan.
What would you say are your strengths and weaknesses?
My strengths are getting to the basket and just playing with physical play. I try to be a bit physical out there. My weaknesses are my jump-shot and my ball security. I’ve got to work on that a little bit more.
And do you work on that in the off-season?
I work on that all of the time. I do it through the season, all twelve months of the year. You always can get better and so I want to try to get better at everything.
In terms of emulating players, is there a guy you try to model your game after?
I like LeBron because he does a lot of everything. He scores, defends, rebounds, and can pass the ball well too. He gets a lot of triple-doubles.
How tall are you?
I’m 6’6.”
And you have a few more years of potential growth. Do you like his style?
Yeah, I like him because he puts up high numbers. I just like how he can do everything out there. I like that. I want to be an all-around player.
Which schools are after you right now?
The whole Pac-Twelve, Kentucky, Duke, Auburn, Texas, Kansas, Kansas State, all of the above. All of the schools I’m very interested in. There are so many schools, I wouldn’t want to leave anyone out, but those are most of them.
How does it break down in terms of those with formal offers and those who have shown serious interest?
Well, I have a lot of offers on the table. I haven’t gotten a chance to go out to colleges and stuff because I’ve been busy with school. I haven’t gotten a chance to get out, but I’m going to try to get out soon, as soon as I can.
Are you planning on doing some visits in the off-season? Well, between the AAU season and the high school season..
I’ll be trying to visit a lot of colleges and stuff cause that’s when I’ll get a chance. I’ll have my really off period.
Are you a good student? Because you’re articulate, I didn’t know.
Yeah, I’ve got between a 3.3 and a 3.4. I try to do well in school, but, yeah, during the off season I’m going to try to visit schools.
In terms of a timeline, are you in a rush to decide?
Oh, no, I’m not rushing this at all. I feel like I just want to go through this once. I don’t want to rush this decision because I don’t think anything good comes from rushing a decision. I feel like my recruiting process is just getting started. I want to make sure that everything is even, make sure I really want that school. I don't want to go through the process more than once.
What will you be looking for whenever you do decide?
Oh, well, I live in California, so I like that home feeling of California. My high school coach is awesome. I’d like to have that kind of feeling.
He's built quite a powerhouse at Mater Dei.
Yeah, they accept me. They like the way I am. They’re cool with me.
They embrace you.
Yeah, they embrace me. So I want that, and I just want it to be good. A good offense and a good defense.
What style of play do you prefer? I really rarely get to see you during the high school season, but I've seen you at camps and in AAU basketball. Do you prefer an up-pace tempo or one that employs more half-court sets?
I like fast-paced, but I can play the half-court system. You know, as a team, we try to do both things and so I feel comfortable in either system.
You're just trying to win the game, whatever it takes.
Yeah, whatever it takes to win the game.
Who’s the toughest player you’ve faced so far?
Oh, Austin Rivers.
Austin Rivers?
Yeah, I had to guard him last year at the City of Palms. He was an absolute killer.
This gentleman that I respect was telling me that you did a tremendous job of guarding Shabazz Muhammad this year.
Oh, Shabazz. I guarded him pretty well. I think he only had like 16 on me for the whole game, but then I came out in the middle of the fourth quarter and he got some points at the end. But Shabazz, he’s really good. He’s strong left-handed and his right is alright, so my coaches were telling me to stay on his right. "Just stay on his right." Make sure he goes right and then I just got the opportunity. I mean, he’s my size. He’s got my athletic ability, so I tried to make him go right every time. I tried to slow him down a little bit and then when I came out of the game, he got some more points.
Sort of on the same topic, but how would you assess your defense at this time in general?
I feel like I do a lot of agility drills and I feel like my feet are on point. I feel like, with my quickness, I can guard anyone from a one to a four. Fast or small, big or tall. (laughs)
And can you go back to that matchup with Austin one more time?
Austin could do everything, I mean, I couldn’t find a weakness with him. I played him left and he hit a floater off of me. I played him off and he hit a jumper over me. I played him tightly and he drove right by me. He hit the mid-range. He was doing everything.
He’s tough to defend.
Yeah, yeah, he’s good.
Speaking of Austin, what's Duke’s interest level in you and what do you know about the program?
I know that the program is known for winning and that’s what I like to do so that right there is automatic interest. I heard Coach K is a really good coach. I see them on TV all of the time. I want to step into a good situation. I don’t want to step into some easy situation and I don’t think they’d expect it. I see them recruiting high level players all of the time. I don’t want to step into an easy situation, I want to step into a situation where I’m going to have to work. I don’t want to walk into a place where I automatically get a starting position, I want to have to work for it. I know Coach K will give me no slack. I know he won’t give me anything and I like that.
Some guys want guaranteed early playing time.
Yeah, some guys just want to step into an easy situation, but that’s not me. I want to work for it, I don’t need any guarantees.
And can you talk about the interest that they’ve shown in you so far?
Yeah, I mean, I’ve gotten letters from them.
From Coach Wojo?
Yeah, I’ve gotten letters from him and I’ve called them a couple of times. He’s always telling me, when you’re ready, I’m ready. So, I mean, that’s really it, really. That’s where we’re at.
What was your experience like trying out and ultimately winning a gold medal with USA Basketball?
USA was a different challenge because there were eleven other guys on the team that could do whatever. I mean, they’re the top eleven guys. It was great to play with guys like Jabari (Parker) and Tyus (Jones). So I had to come in the game and do other things like hustle things. But I ended up starting, that was fun. I got hurt the second game, so I didn’t get a chance to play in the championship game, but it was fun. But when I was playing, I really got along with the players.
Who did you get along with best on the team?
Probably Tyus... he was my roommate. Tyus and Kendrick (Nunn), they’re pretty funny guys.
In terms of position, I put down that you could either be a three or a two, depending on how you develop. What do you feel is your best position?
I like to think of myself as a three, but I can play the two.
Well, if you like LeBron, you gotta learn to play the three.
(laughs) Yeah, I like to play inside a lot, I like to play in the low-post, and I like to use my body for rebounds. I like to use my body against smaller defenders on the low-post. When I go against bigger defenders, I like to face-up and just shoot right over them. I like to be able to do both things and I try to work on both.
Your mother played at Jackson State. Can you talk about her influence on you with the game?
My mother, she really knows the game, so when I was growing up, I had a coach in my house so I didn’t really have to go far to ask for questions.
So that’s definitely an advantage that you had.
Yeah, definitely. She got me right from the beginning with a ball in my hand because she was a European player as well. It happened prior to the WNBA.
In France.
Yeah, because there was no WNBA at the time.
That’s impressive. Now, what position was she?
She was a three and a four. She was able to play inside and out.
So, she really does know where you should be.
(laughs) Yeah, she doesn’t let me get away with anything.
You can’t get by on her.
No, I can’t mess around. (laughs)
What would you like people to know about you away from the court?
I’m really goofy. If you ask any of my teammates, I’m always laughing. I’m always making jokes. There’s really no dull moment around me.
So, you like to keep people entertained?
(laughs) Yeah, yeah.
I heard you visited New York yesterday and I’m not sure if you visited the Hall of Fame, but if so, can you talk about those two experiences?
We actually went all around town. We went to St. John’s for a little bit. I saw the campus and I got to play a little bit on the courts there. That was really cool. That was fun, but we only got to spend one night there. It was quick.
I’m from NY so I was interested where you went. I'm sure Coach Lavin was happy to let you guys use their facilities. Someone was describing you as being a really good "team-player" because for certain teams, you bring defense, other teams you bring scoring, you really bring whatever is needed. Do you feel that’s a good description?
Tonight, unfortunately but obviously, nothing was falling for me. So, I just tried to do whatever I could.
Well, you were three for ten from the field tonight, but you had fifteen rebounds and played good defense.
I feel like could play with a lot of players because I feel like I can bring it, especially with the USA team I have a different role than I do with the Oakland Soldiers.
So, you’re very comfortable with different roles, wearing different hats?
I feel like I can rebound. I'll grab the ball when the shot’s not falling. I can get steals. I feel like I can play with great players, not-so-great players, and just high school players.
I heard you picked 41 because you wanted to pick 5 for your mother but that number was taken this year and that you wanted to pick 5 because not only was it your mother’s number, but it also meant grace. Are you going to switch to that next year when it becomes available?
Yeah, my mom told me four plus one means grace. So, my Mom, well, she’s a minister. I’m a Christian and so I believe in God. I believe in all the things about Christianity..the number 5 and the number 7, things like that. It’s encouraging to think that I have grace.
I hadn’t heard that before. When I was trying to do research on you, it was unusual. Thank you very much.
Duke Basketball plans on using a redshirt on Marshall Plumlee this season provided there are not a lot of team injuries. That means, the plan is for Plumlee to join Alex Murphy and Rasheed Sulaimon as freshman the following season and Duke is of course, still recruiting. When in the locker room before or after the game, you can always count on a genuine smile from Marshall. He also known to be a hard worker and he's doing his best to learn the Blue Devils system as he waits his turn. BDN caught up to Marshall for a one on one interview where we discussed his current situation, his brothers in more in our latest BDN Video offering which we are sure you'll enjoy hearing the latest from Plum 3.
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