Time to get Cook-ing

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Late in the year, postseason success is often attributed to the amount of depth found on the bench. The more players at the coach’s disposal, the more rested the players are in March. Although the argument does get blown out of proportion at times, having great bench play does matter. Since the shellacking against Ohio State in November, Duke has played fewer quality opponents and has had more days to practice in between games. Not only has this allowed the Blue Devils to practice more, but also figure out who will be added to their second half rotation.

Only seven players have received consistent action for head coach Mike Krzyzewski, playing at least 19 minutes/game: Austin Rivers, Tyler Thornton, Ryan Kelly, Seth Curry, Andre Dawkins, Mason Plumlee, and Miles Plumlee. In addition, Josh Hairston and Quinn Cook have made contributions in limited action. As the Blue Devils prepare for the 2012 push, however, Cook will inevitably become more of a mainstay in the lineup.

Although Rivers has received the most publicity in Duke's freshman class, Cook’s play cannot be ignored. While he averages a respectable 5.2 points per game, generally coming off of acrobatic finishes at the basket, Cook’s real impact is felt when the ball is out of his hands. As a floor general, his numbers are equal to those who play significantly more minutes. Cook has played 92 fewer minutes than anyone in the seven-man rotation, yet ranks third on the team in assists. In fact, he averages .2 assists/minute, .1 greater than the next best in the category, a tie between Thornton and Curry. In addition, Cook’s 4.83:1 assist/turnover ratio is far better than anyone else on the team. In Duke’s last two games alone, Cook has 17 assists and 0 turnovers.

Something that should also be considered is Cook’s skill as a free throw shooter. As a team, the Blue Devils are shooting a measly 69 percent from the charity stripe. If the season were to end today, it would be a six-point drop from last year and the worst team percentage since the 2006-2007 season. At 84 percent, Cook trails only Curry (93 percent) in free throw percentage, and the two guards are the only players shooting above 79 percent on the team. While the power of depth on a squad’s success can be debated, the quality of free throw shooting cannot -- just look at Memphis, who shot 63.2 percent from the line on its way to a seven-point loss in the 2008 National Championship game.

A quick note that should also be mentioned is where most shots are being made for Duke. The Blue Devils are known for their three-point shooting, but in their last five games most of the field goals have come around the basket. Nearly 59 percent of Duke’s field goals have come from the center of the court. 24 percent come from the right side and 17 come from the right side. Something to keep an eye on over the next few weeks will be if this trend continues, as a greater presence in the middle of the court may prove these numbers to be skewed.

With Cook providing an additional depth and foul shooting, and the offense clicking around the basket, Duke may be on its way to fulfilling its New Year’s resolution: winning a national title.