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
Justise Winslow: The Houston native stole the show during Duke's two exhibition games, averaging 18 points and 6.5 rebounds. Although it was largely an unselfish, team effort in both exhibition games, Winslow is becoming an important part of why many expect the Blue Devils to make a run to the Final Four. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound swingman is the only player on Duke's roster that can play every position and will be expected to lead the way on the wing for the Blue Devils when the regular season starts Friday.
Jamison Crowder: Crowder was having a relatively quiet season until two weeks ago at Pittsburgh, when he had a breakout game, hauling in nine passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Against Syracuse, he caught nine passes for 58 yards and took a punt to the house that gave Duke the go-ahead 17-10 lead.
If Crowder can catch 17 more passes and accumulate 306 more receiving yards, he will have his third straight season with more than 75 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards.
Ross Martin: The junior has only attempted 13 field goals this season, but he has knocked every one of them through the uprights. He became Duke's all-time leading scorer earlier this season, but that hasn't stopped him from knocking in big kicks in each of Duke's last four games. The Solon, Ohio, native was recently named a Lou Groza Award semifinalist and has been a crucial part of the Blue Devils' 8-1 start this season.
Kansas football: Duke dominated the Jayhawks with a 41-3 win back on Sept. 13, but things are looking up after the program fired head coach Charlie Weis. Kansas cruised past Iowa State 34-14 in Lawrence Saturday, marking the team's first Big 12 victory in...wait for it....a year. Well apparently, this was enough cause for celebration to tear down the goalposts at Memorial Stadium. Remember they didn't beat Alabama, just 2-7 Iowa State. But we'll give them credit anyway after the thumping they received in Durham two months ago.
Bear Market—Trending Down
Duke in the NFL: Former Duke football players were making waves at the next level earlier this season, but the hype has declined in November. Running back Juwan Thompson only got four carries on Sunday against Oakland and could move further down the depth chart with the return of Montee Ball, who was the starter until a groin injury sidelined him for most of October. Cooper Heltfet of Seattle on caught one pass this past week and Vincent Rey was the one bright spot making 10 tackles in Cincinnati's loss to the Browns.
Virginia Tech football: The Hokies are trending down this week with an ACC Coastal Division battle looming Saturday at noon in Durham. Since starting 2-0 and notching a 35-21 road win against then-No.8 Ohio State, Frank Beamer's team has dropped five of its last seven games, with its only wins coming against Western Michigan and a struggling North Carolina squad. With four wins this season, Virginia Tech is in jeopardy of ending its 21-year bowl streak, which is the longest in the FBS.
The Hokies need to beat two out of its next three opponents, which are Duke, Wake Forest and Virginia. With multiple injuries on both sides of the ball, the Hokies will face an uphill battle throughout the remainder of the month, especially against a hot Blue Devil squad Saturday at noon at Wallace Wade Stadium.
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