Durham, N.C. - Thanks to a bye, the Duke Blue Devils will not play until the second day of Friday session of the Atlantic Coast Conference Basketball Tournament. BDN caught up with Blue Devil senior Jon Scheyer and here ae his thoughts on the coming tournament.
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Game 32
1-Seed Duke (26-5, 13-3 ACC) vs. 8-Seed Boston College / 9-Seed Virginia winner
Friday, March 12, 2010 • 12:00 p.m. • Raycom / ESPN
Greensboro Coliseum (23,500) • Greensboro, N.C.
The Opening Tip
Duke (26-5, 13-3 ACC) faces the winner of Thursday’s game between Boston College and Virginia in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on Friday, March 12, at 12:00 p.m.
The Blue Devils enter the ACC Tournament ranked fourth in the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls.
The game will air locally on Raycom with Tim Brandt and Dan Bonner on the call. Dan Shulman, Len Elmore and Erin Andrews will call the action for ESPN’s national broadcast.
The Last Time Out
Duke is coming off a 32-point win over North Carolina on Saturday, March 6. Kyle Singler (25), Jon Scheyer (20) and Nolan Smith (20) each scored over 20 points in the contest, marking the first time since the 2001-02 season that a Blue Devil trio to accomplish that feat.
The Blue Devils jumped out to a 53-26 halftime lead and cruised to an 82-50 win for Duke’s second-largest margin of victory in the series.
Scheyer and Smith combined for 40 points, nine rebounds, 12 assists and zero turnovers in the victory. Senior Brian Zoubek finished 4-of-4 from the floor for eight points to go along with a game-high 13 rebounds. The Blue Devils also shot a season-best 95.7 percent (22-of-23) from the foul line in the win over North Carolina.
Duke as the No. 1 Seed in the ACC Tournament
Duke is the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament for the 17th time in school history. The Blue Devils are 34-8 all-time as the top seed, winning championships in 1963, 1964, 1966, 1986, 1992, 1999, 2000 and 2006. Duke has won 14 of its last 15 games as the top seed in the tournament.
Numbers Game
l Duke has won eight of the last 11 ACC Tournament championships, posting a 29-3 mark since the 1999 tournament.
l The Blue Devils have won 84 ACC Tournament games, tied for the most in league history.
l Duke is ranked fourth in the AP poll, marking the 54th consecutive week ranked in the top 10. The Blue Devils are 44-8 all-time when ranked fourth in the AP poll.
l Jon Scheyer leads the ACC in three statistical categories and is the only player in the league to rank in the top 5 in seven categories: scoring (third, 18.9 ppg.), assists (fourth, 5.2 apg.), free throw percentage (first, .889), three-point field goals (first, 2.9 3pg.), three-point field goal percentage (third, .399), assist-to-turnover ratio (first, 3.0:1) and minutes (second, 36.5 mpg.).
l Brian Zoubek is averaging 7.3 points and 11.0 rebounds (5.0 orpg.) while shooting 71.0 percent (22-of-31) from the field since joining the starting lineup seven games ago. He has grabbed 10+ rebounds in four of the last five games and in five of seven games as a starter. Zoubek is second in the ACC in offensive rebounds (3.5 orpg) and tied for eighth in total rebounds (7.3 rpg.).
l Jon Scheyer, Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler are attempting to become just the third trio in Duke history to each average over 17.0 points per game. Jim Spanarkel, Mike Gminski and Gene Banks accomplished the feat in 1977-78, while Jason Williams, Carlos Boozer and Mike Dunleavy did the same in 2001-02.
l Junior Nolan Smith is two points shy of becoming the 60th player in Duke history with 1,000 career points. Smith has 511 points and 14 games with 20 or more points this year after combining for 487 points and one game with 20 or more points in his first two seasons as a Blue Devil.
l The Blue Devils lead the ACC in rebound margin at +6.1 and are 22-2 on the year when outrebounding the opposition. Duke last led the league in rebounding in 1989.
l Duke has had fewer than 10 turnovers in four straight games and is averaging just 11.1 turnovers per game for the season. Duke has never averaged fewer than 12.0 turnovers per game under Coach K.
l Kyle Singler is averaging 20.7 points, while shooting 40.7 percent (15-of-37) from three-point range over the last six games. He has scored 20 or more points in four of the last six contests.
l Lance Thomas was named to the Fan’s Guide Coaches’ All-Defense team, becoming the 20th Blue Devil selected in the 15 years of the team.
l The Blue Devils have won 11 straight games when leading at the half. Duke is 23-1 when entering halftime with the lead.
Checking in on ...
#2 Nolan Smith - +9.2 ppg. increase from a year ago is second-best in the ACC ... shooting a career-best 40.4 percent from three-point range ... fourth in the ACC with 14 games with 20+ points scored ... double figures in 27 of 29 games played
#5 Mason Plumlee - Second on the team with 21 dunks ... fourth with 21 blocks
#12 Kyle Singler - Five double-doubles and six games with 10+ rebounds ... averaged 18.3 points per game in league play ... led the ACC with .415 three-point percentage in conference play ... third in three-point field goals per game at 2.4 threes per game
#20 Andre Dawkins - Fourth on the team with 33 three-point field goals ... shooting 38.8 percent from three-point range
#21 Miles Plumlee - Leads the team with 29 dunks ... shooting 57.5 percent (69-of-120) from the field
#30 Jon Scheyer - 20+ points in seven of the last 12 games ... ranks in the top 10 of the ACC in eight statistical categories ... leads the league in free throw percentage, three-point field goals and assist-to-turnover ratio ... tied for second in the ACC with 15 games with 20 or more points ... three-time ACC Player of the Week
#34 Ryan Kelly - 14 blocked shots ... played in 29 of 31 games
#42 Lance Thomas - Tied for team lead with 12 charges taken ... 5 or more rebounds in 15 games ... 1 of 4 Blue Devils averaging at least 5.0 rebounds per game
#55 Brian Zoubek - Four or more offensive rebounds 14 times ... averaging 17.1 rebounds per 40 minutes played ... nine double-figure rebounding games
Durham, N.C. - This weekend marked the first time Kyrie Irving had been to a game at Duke this season and what he saw made him want to stay. Irving will be here soon enough, July to be exact as will his future teammate Josh Hairston who also attended the Blue Devils blowout win over North Carolina.
But there were others in attendance and we will discuss those kids in our latest lengthy BDN Premium Duke Basketball Recruiting Update. As you know, Austin Rivers [private] was unable to make the trip in that his team advanced to the championship game in Florida. I still feel great about Rivers and Duke.
Another Duke target Qincy Miller went to Kentucky instead of making the trip to Durham. While Duke still holds interest in the talented forward, they will continue to recruit others for many reasons. One is that Quincy is quite the internet personality and two, a lot of people are involved with Millers recruitment, two names which you should figure out. Now, I'm not talking other teams here, for we know who they are. I'm talking individuals with lot's of pull. As I stated in an earlier update, Miller changed a whole lot from the first time I talked with him to now. He is enjoying the limelight and at times seems aloof, but that's probably just a kid enjoying himself. Anyway, Duke is definitely still interested but Quincy has to show that back. Make no mistake, Duke is still on his list but if there is a team to beat it is Kentucky. This one will go on for a good while, so prepare to ride the waves.
I will reiterate that Carrick Felix is all but in save the formalities of admissions which should be no problem. Felix is a character kid that excels in the class room. In short, he's not your everyday garden variety JUCO. Felix is athletic enough to make an impact in a role position the day he steps on campus. While this is the first JUCO that will be taken under Krzyzewski, you will eventually see Felix has great character and ability. I would imagine something will happen here shortly. FWIW, Duke's only other JUCO was Cameron Hall a center out of Canada.
Duke still has interest in Justin Anderson [Class of 2012 6-5 combo guard, Montrosse Christian] but this is at the evaluation stage. As talented as he is, there are some holes in Anderson's game and Duke will watch to see how he progresses in several areas. He will get some looks come spring.
The Blue Devils are still high on J.P. Tokoto [Class of 2012 6-5 WF Menomonee, WI] as well and despite waht you hear about him being a Carolina lock, this one may take some turns along the way. In a way, I would rather people say North Carolina is his if offered. He will get an offer from them, but there is a jam at his position if you do the homework.
Duke will also continue to be state friendly. What I mean by that is the Blue Devils will continue to check out local talent and just ask Duke Football Coach David Cutcliffe about how fruitful this can be. Enter kids like T.J. Warren will be invited to attend games as will others along the way in an effort to maintain relations.. Keep in mind that Miller, Bello and Marshall Plumlee are N.C. kids as well. BDN will be attending the Telep's camp and we will focus on the local talent at the end of this month.
A new name to keep an eye on is Tyler Adams , a hulking 6-9, 255 pound prospect from Brandon, Mississippi. He was unable to make the game but was invited. he is a physical presence that already has a college level body. Adams is in the class of 2011.
There is no doubt that Josh Hairston is getting bigger as he ages. Not huge, just maturing and filling out his body. Hairston, of course was front and center for the game and cheering hard and often. No word as to why Tyler Thornton didn't make it.
As for Kyrie Irving, well, he had a blast. He was the first one to jump off the bench when Duke took a 9-3 lead over North Carolina in the opening minutes and he was obviously liking what he saw. From all reports close to the situation, he can't wait to get to Durham and may be here earlier than July. Irving had a close friend with him on the visit and he has already tweeted about his experiences.
One big kid there this weekend was Michael Haynes, who made his second game. As it turns out, former Duke player Sean Dockery is his neighbor in his home town of Chicago. Not only that, Dockery is acting as a mentor of sorts. Haynes now plays in Martinsville, Virginia and his game is that of a physical presence. He is tough on the blocks and in the paint and is the type of player Duke would like to close out the class of 2010 with. For that to happen, he will have to meet Duke's academic requirements.
Then there was the second visit from Michael Gbinije [Class of 2011 6-6 WF Benedictine, Va} from the class of 2011. From all reports, he is accessing the opportunity at Duke and the word is his parents like the situation a lot. It would not suprise me to see Duke close on him soon, but we'll see. I have seen Gbinijie play several times and here is how I see his game. He will not jump off the page at you athletically bt is a good athlete. He is always steady and plays withing his capabilities. He loves garbage buckets and plays taller than his height. He has a good mid range shot and a decent handle and passes does everything pretty well. He is a very quiet kid on and off the court.
I am pretty certain Marshall Plumlee did not attend, but I did not confirm that. It is interesting that Indiana let Roshown McLeod go yesterday. We'll see what effect this has on Plumlee who is high on Indiana and Duke.
We'll close in saying that Shabazz Muhamed [Class of 2012 6-4 WF Bishop Gorman, LV, Nev}was at the game as well. The talented Las Vegas prospect took in Duke and North Carolina over the weekend. It's very early in the process on this one for both the aforementioned schools, so we'll see how this one develops.
That's it for now, but we will likely add some other updates on the message board. One last note, the team let go of the weekends big game this afternoon and their sole focus is on getting better between now and Friday where they face the winner of the Boston College-Virginia game. [/private]
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The final buzzer sounded, and Duke's Joy Cheek flung the ball toward the ceiling before locking fellow seniors Keturah Jackson and Bridgette Mitchell in a long, lasting hug.
Whoop it up, ladies. You've finally got an Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title.
No. 9 Duke captured its first ACC championship since 2004 by beating North Carolina State 70-60 on Sunday behind 18 points from tournament MVP Jasmine Thomas.
Karima Christmas added 13 points for the Blue Devils (27-5), who forced 23 turnovers and outrebounded the Wolfpack 46-32 in claiming their sixth ACC title and first since winning five in a row from 2000-04.
"To have the opportunity to be here again, after having lost those three years, it was just now or never," Mitchell said.
For these Blue Devils' seniors, their final game in Greensboro came with some fitting symmetry. They were freshmen in 2007 when Duke was undefeated, ranked No. 1 nationally and rolling toward an inevitable title when they were upset in the semifinals by an N.C. State team inspired by coach Kay Yow's feel-good midseason return.
Duke made it to the championship in each of the three years that followed under coach Joanne P. McCallie, but the Blue Devils were stopped by powerful No. 1 seeds in both 2008 and '09. This time, the No. 1 seed belonged to them - and they took full advantage.
"We had this goal in mind, because three of us have seen us go to the ACC tournament championship and come up short," Cheek said. "The balloons and the streamers, we had to watch them fall down for someone else. And so we didn't want to have to see that happen again. It was an embarrassing feeling, and we just didn't want to feel like that again."
Nikitta Gartrell had 19 points to lead the sixth-seeded Wolfpack (20-13). They were denied in their bid to become the first team to win four games in four days here and were out for their third upset of a ranked team in eight days.
"I'm extremely proud of our team for so many reasons," first-year coach Kellie Harper said. "But in that locker room ... I was proud of them for wanting more. They're hurt that they didn't win this game, and I am so proud of that."
Cheek had 11 points while Thomas, who averaged 16 points in the tournament, added six rebounds and six assists. Duke took the lead for good by reeling off 14 consecutive points during a 23-7 run midway through the first half, went up by 18 with about 8½ minutes remaining and refused to allow N.C. State to complete a second comeback in two days.
Brittany Strachan hit two 3-pointers in a 34-second span to pull the Wolfpack within 65-56 with just under 3 minutes left, but they couldn't get any closer.
The Blue Devils' reward: A banner to hang at Cameron Indoor Stadium and roughly two weeks off before they make 16th straight NCAA tournament appearance - on their home court, no less.
"It's kind of like the appetizer before the big meal, and it's a very, very good appetizer," said McCallie, the first coach in Division I history to win conference tournaments in four different leagues.
Duke won the first meeting 70-39 on Feb. 11, and while it controlled the rematch throughout, this one was nowhere near that lopsided: The Blue Devils' largest lead came when Cheek's jumper made it 60-42 with 8:18 left.
Bonae Holston added 14 points for the Wolfpack, who reached the title game for the 14th time, but first since the 2007 team's Yow-inspired run.
"Winning is a big part of how we've been acting lately," Gartrell said. "Our confidence and everything has been sky high. We can't drop our heads and let our confidence go away because we have NCAAs to worry about now."
Three years after that unlikely ride, and a year after her death, and the late coach still was never far from anybody's mind. Hanging from the rafters behind one basket was a banner bearing her name in pink, the color of breast-cancer awareness, with an inverted ribbon replacing the "Y'' in her last name. Harper, her replacement, was trying to become the first first-year coach to win the women's tournament.
She helped N.C. State rally from 10 points down to beat Boston College in the semifinals. Early on in this one, Duke's full-court pressure put the Wolfpack in that unwelcome position again.
That aggressive defense wound up proving too much for N.C. State, especially during the first-half run that put the Blue Devils on their way to the title. They forced 15 turnovers in the opening half - 10 during that spurt, and many of those created by the press that continually frustrated the Wolfpack.
BDN caught some comments from Nolan Smith after Duke defeated their arch rival in grand style on Saturday evening. Smith continued his consistent scoring by putting up 20 points to go with zero turnovers.
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Durham, N.C. - We'll have a lot more to say about Jon Scheyer in the next day or so but until then, here are his post game comments courtesy of BDN audio.
Scheyer scored 20 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and had a game high 7 assists as Duke toyed with North Carolina in a 82-50 victory.
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