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Duke Basketball

Duke vs Butler – Let’s do it again!

BDN Photo

EAST RUTHERFORD, N..J. -  Duke University and Butler University will meet in a rematch of their dramatic NCAA National Championship game on Saturday, December 4 at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, NJ.  The game will tip-off at 3:30 pm ET and will be televised live on ESPN.

Duke beat Butler in a 61-59 thriller to win its fourth national championship and end Butler's miracle run through the NCAA basketball tournament.

"The IZOD Center and the Meadowlands are synonymous with the best in college basketball because of games like this," said Dennis Robinson, New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority President and CEO.  "Duke and Butler played a championship game for the ages and I know the great fans of the metropolitan area are as excited as we are that they have agreed to this rematch."

Duke returns two starters and nine letterwinners from last year's team that captured the NCAA Championship as well as ACC Tournament and ACC regular season titles. The Blue Devils, led by Hall of Fame head coach Mike Krzyzewski, closed the year by winning 18 of their last 19 games to finish 35-5 overall and No. 1 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll. Preseason first team All-America candidates Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith are back after combining to average 35.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game a year ago. The duo along with junior Miles Plumlee (5.2 ppg. & 4.9 rpg.) will be joined by a talented group of underclassman that includes sophomores Seth Curry, Andre Dawkins, Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee as well as newcomers Carrick Felix, Josh Hairston, Kyrie Irving and Tyler Thornton.

"We are excited to play Butler next season in the Meadowlands," said Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski. "Given the outstanding game played between Duke and Butler in the 2010 NCAA Championship, there will be added interest in next year's matchup. Surely, Coach Stevens will have his team ready to perform at a high level. We look forward to what will be a significant challenge."

Butler captured the attention of the nation in March with its run to the NCAA National Championship game.  The Bulldogs were the only team to defeat both a No. 1 seed (Syracuse) and a No. 2 seed (Kansas State) in the tournament, and Butler ended the season ranked No. 2 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll.  Head coach Brad Stevens guided the Bulldogs to a school-record 33-5 campaign, which included a 25-game winning streak - the nation's longest in 2009-10 - and Horizon League regular season and tournament championships.  The Bulldogs return starters Shelvin Mack (14.1 ppg), Matt Howard (11.6 ppg) and Ronald Nored (6.0 ppg).  Leading scorer and rebounder Gordon Hayward declared early for the NBA draft but has not signed with an agent. Butler was the only team in the nation to post an unbeaten conference record (18-0) in 2009-10.

"It's an honor for our program to be invited to play in the IZOD Center in December," said Butler Head Coach Brad Stevens. "Obviously, the challenge will be great, as we have a tremendous amount of respect for Duke."

Duke has a long history at the IZOD Center amassing an 18-1 record including five NCAA East Regional Final victories. Butler has never played at the Meadowlands.

Duke Football

Duke leads for OG prospect Lucas Patrick

BDN's look at offensive line prospects continues with a look at Lucas Patrick -

Lucas Patrick is a 6’4” 287 pound junior offensive guard from Brentwood, Tennessee. In 2009, Brentwood finished second in the Tennessean’s year-end mid-state poll, falling one game short of the state championship. Lucas received the team’s Junior Weight Room Award, anchoring an offensive line that helped senior RB Jeremy Coffey run for a school-record 1596 rushing yards.

On the field, Lucas says, “I like to be physical, come out and hit somebody.” With Brentwood’s option-style offense, Lucas is able to get downfield and make big blocks for the running game. He hopes that he is thought of as someone who “plays smart and is a team player.” For his senior year, Lucas is looking forward to becoming a leader on and off the field. “I want to get the best out of my teammates and be someone who makes them work,” he said. With Lucas leading the offensive line in the option-style attack, Brentwood has their sights set on a state championship in 2010.

For his college choice, Lucas is “definitely looking for a good academic school.” He prefers a campus that is “not small, but has a real sense of community.” And of course, he’s looking to compete on the field for an elite football program. As an offensive lineman, Lucas says he has learned to value “camaraderie among the players - where everyone’s got your back.” He’s looking for a coach who will be a person and a coach, not just a disciplinarian on the field.

“I have a top list of schools, and Duke is the top right now,” Lucas said about the schools he’s considering. He’s received interest from Cincinnati, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee, and also holds offers from Duke, Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky, and Arkansas. This spring, Lucas enjoyed visits to Duke, Cincinnati, and Vanderbilt.

While he is admittedly “not a city boy,” Lucas was impressed with the way the Bearcats “compete on every snap, and really try to get better every play.” Vanderbilt is his hometown school, just fifteen minutes down the road from Brentwood, and Lucas has developed a strong relationship with offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell, who he sees as a coach who can help to “lead in football and in life.”

After discussing football and faith with Duke offensive line coach Matt Luke and team chaplain Mitch Mitchell, Lucas felt strongly that Duke was a place where he would fit, but he came away most impressed by the Duke players. “The players did not hesitate to talk with me, they didn’t even wait for a coach to introduce us. They came up and talked to me on the sidelines during practice,” he said of his visit to Duke for the spring game.

Lucas is in the first week of spring practice and is looking forward to visits from coaches during the spring evaluation period. He is waiting to hear how serious Tennessee is with their interest, and intends to make his college decision by the end of spring practice so that he can focus on his senior year. Lucas added that he definitely intends to attend Duke’s summer camp.

Duke Football

Sean Renfree recaps Duke Spring Football

Sean Renfree will be handed the ball to lead this seasons young Blue Devils team. BDN Photo

DURHAM - BDN takes a look back at spring practice with this audio clip from Sean Renfree, the Blue Devil projected starting quarterback.  Renfree of course, sat out for most of the spring rehabilitating his season ending injury from a season ago.  All eyes will be on Sean Renfree this season with the loss of four year starter Thaddeus Lewis.

Duke Basketball

The Jon Scheyer Foundation will host May Madness: Gaming to Give

Jon - BDN Photo

DURHAM, N.C. – After leading the Duke Blue Devils to the 2010 NCAA National Championship, senior Jon Scheyer plans to give back to the Durham community. The Jon Scheyer Foundation will host May Madness: Gaming to Give on May 1, 2010 from noon to 5 p.m. in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The event will feature Halo 3 and FIFA 2010 Xbox video game tournaments, as well as live music by Nautical Young, Speak of the Devil and Point Break. In addition, Scheyer and members of the 2010 National Championship team will be on hand to sign autographs.

General admission for May Madness will be $10 at the door. Duke students will be admitted for $5 with their student ID. Children under the age of 12 will be admitted free of charge. Entry forms for the video game tournaments can be found on www.jonscheyer.com.Proceeds from May Madness will benefit the Jimmy V Foundation and the Emily K Center.

The Jon Scheyer Foundation benefits young people in the community and serves to develop and encourage the qualities of leadership, dedication and perseverance in the hearts of young people everywhere, and to give back to under served communities in need.

For more information about May Madness, visit www.jonscheyer.com or contact Brooke Scheyer at bscheyer@brighteststarfoundations.com.

Duke Football

BDN continues it’s look at Duke OL prospects with Marcus Aprahamiam

Marcus Aprahamian is a 6’5” 300 pound junior offensive tackle from Brookfield, Wisconsin. In addition to his efforts on the gridiron, Marcus is also a varsity track (shot put and discus) athlete at Brookfield Central High School, which produced Pro Bowl offensive tackle Joe Thomas of the Cleveland Browns. Marcus has been selected in the preseason Top 100 by Offense-Defense Sports, was named first team all-conference as a junior, and is generally regarded as the top 2011 offensive line prospect in the state.

On the sidelines and in the locker room, Marcus is a “great leader with great work ethic,” but on the field he is “quick and relentless.” He prides himself on finishing blocks, and continues to work to build strength and quickness heading into his senior year. This fall, he hopes to help lead his team to a conference and state title; personally, he would like to earn first team all-state honors in his senior year.

With a brother playing tight end at Dartmouth and his father a Princeton alumnus, academics will be an important component of his college choice. Like his father, Marcus has an interest in law, but is mostly looking for a school where he can picture himself and is able to connect with the coaching staff. Marcus would also like to have an opportunity to compete for playing time in his first year.

Marcus currently holds three BCS scholarship offers, two from the Big 10 and one from the ACC. He will visit Minnesota on April 24, and has already visited Indiana and Duke. Marcus was able to visit Indiana twice, attending a basketball game at Assembly Hall during one visit. Reflecting on his visits to Indiana, Marcus said he “loved it there, I really liked the big school environment.” He also added that one of his high school teammates is strongly considering the Hoosiers.

He was able to visit Duke on April 1, touring the campus and football facilities with Coach Luke from 11AM to 5PM. His mother flew in and was able to tour the campus again with him the following day. Of his visit to Duke, Marcus said, “I really saw myself there.” Unfortunately, Marcus was not able to meet with Coach Cutcliffe during his visit. Marcus hopes to finalize his college decision early in the summer and then attend summer camp at his future school.

Duke Football

Duke Football taking a long look at OT prospect Grant Jones

Grant Jones is a 6’5” 301 pound junior offensive tackle from Lynchburg, Virginia, who has drawn interest from nearly every school in the ACC. Grant has been selected in the preseason Top 100 by Offense-Defense Sports, and was named first team all-conference, area, and state as a junior at Liberty Christian Academy. In addition to his football prowess, Grant also finished his junior year as the #7 overall wrestler in the country and enters his senior year third in the preseason rankings, though he says he is unlikely to pursue wrestling at the collegiate level.

Grant prides himself on his ability to finish blocks and leave his opponents on the ground; he also considers himself to be very strong in pass protection. His goal is to be thought of as a “competitor on every down.” He is always working to improve his technique, keeping his pad level low, and has really emphasized working on his explosiveness heading into his senior year. This fall, he hopes to win a state championship after losing in the title game last year. Personally, he would like to repeat his accolades as first team all-conference, area, and state.

When considering his college choices, Grant is looking for a school where he will get a great education over five years. He’s looking for a coaching staff with experience both on the field and on the sidelines, which he hopes will help to make him successful in life and in football. Mostly, though, Grant values “honesty and trustworthiness – I want a coach who will tell you where you stand and treat you fairly.” Growing up in Pennsylvania, Grant followed Penn State and Notre Dame football, but says that his childhood allegiances will have little to do with his own college career. “It’s a lot different looking at schools now,” he said.

Heading into the spring evaluation period, Grant expects to be evaluated by many schools in addition to the four who have already offered him a scholarship, those being Duke, East Carolina, Stanford, and Liberty. He plans to attend spring Nike camps at Penn State and Virginia Tech during the evaluation period, and hopes to showcase his skills for schools that have recently been in contact, which include Virginia, Virginia Tech, Clemson, NC State, North Carolina, Alabama, Ole Miss, Penn State, UCLA, and USC.

To date, Grant has visited Virginia, Maryland, NC State, and Duke. Grant said that he thought NC State has “great facilities and great coaching,” while he saw Duke as a program whose “stock is on the rise” and that “Coach Cutcliffe is a winner and he is going to get it done there.” Grant had high praise for Maryland’s Coach Friedgen and Virginia’s Coach London, describing them both as “honest and trustworthy” coaches; he added that both schools had “absolutely beautiful” campuses. With Virginia being only an hour from home, he said he was very familiar with the school and has been in touch with Coach London since his days at Richmond.

Grant hopes to make his college choice before his senior year.