The bell of the Blue Zone stock exchange has just rung again, meaning it's time for another taking a look at who is rising and falling with their performances for Blue Devil sports teams. Each week The Blue Zone will look at whose stock is on the rise and whose stock has taken a hit from the week in the world of Duke athletics.
Bull Market—Trending Up
Quinn Cook: The freshmen have gotten all the attention so far this season, but Cook and junior captain Amile Jefferson are the engines making the 5-0 No. 4 Blue Devils go so far this season. Cook is leading the team in scoring with 17.0 points per game and has already made 17 3-pointers this season and is shooting 48.6 percent from downtown. More importantly, the Washington, D.C., native has adjusted well to playing off the ball with freshman Tyus Jones and been an extension of the coaching staff on the court.
Justise Winslow: The Houston native's stock is rising in the Blue Zone and on draft boards across the country. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound swingman has shown he can do it all on the court and is one of the most powerful players in the nation already as a freshman. Winslow shot 28 free throws in Duke's three games last week and although he did not shoot a good percentage from the field or the charity stripe, the impact he makes on both ends has many comparing him to former Kentucky star Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Winslow is a better shooter already, too—that's a scary thought for opponents who already have to contend with Okafor and Jones.
Paint removing businesses: It's unclear who will benefit from North Carolina's postgame shenanigans after Thursday's 45-20 win against Duke at Wallace Wade Stadium, but with at least an estimated $10,000 of damage inflicted in the locker room, someone will probably be getting a bigger pay day. The Tar Heels will be financing the repairs.
Bear Market—Trending Down
Duke football: The Blue Devils have let the pressure get to them, shooting themselves in the foot with turnovers and penalties en route to home losses to Virginia Tech and North Carolina that gave Georgia Tech their Coastal Division crown. Duke needs to regroup quickly and take care of Wake Forest Saturday to build confidence entering its third straight bowl game if it wants a better postseason result.
ACC basketball: Although Duke, North Carolina, Louisville and Virginia all look like serious contenders early in the season, many are questioning the conference's depth after a slew of early-season upsets. Iona shocked Wake Forest, Gardner-Webb knocked off Clemson, Northeastern stunned Florida State and Virginia Tech fell to Appalachian State. The teams at the bottom of the conference need to rebound for the league to maintain its status as the best conference in the nation and to be competitive when conference play.
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