It was the first time they had lost consecutive regular-season games since the 2008-09 campaign. It was the first time since the 1995-96 season that they lost back-to-back games by double-digits. It ended a win streak at Cameron Indoor Stadium of 41 games, the longest in the nation.
But maybe more importantly, for the second game in a row, what was supposed to be a much-improved defense for the Blue Devils looked gassed and outmatched against a barrage of offensive talent.
Duke dropped its second straight game Tuesday night, this time 90-74 to Miami, thanks mostly to the fast-paced play of guards Angel Rodriguez and Manu Lecomte.
Rodriguez led the way with 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. The transfer from Kansas State added five assists, five steals and four rebounds for good measure in his first opportunity to take the floor against the Blue Devils. Lecomte had 23 points of his own with three made triples and hit free throw after free throw as the Blue Devils continually put him on the line.
“Rodriguez was sensational,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “He not only scored but he just controlled the game.... Their whole team played well, but he really set the tone.”
Rodriguez and Lecomte were not alone, however, in their dominance against the Duke defense.
Fellow guard and Texas transfer Sheldon McClellan added 14 points to the tally for Miami, and center Tonye Jekiri pitched in with a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. The junior 7-footer frustrated center Jahlil Okafor and forward Amile Jefferson in the paint and although he did not attempt many shots, he was efficient. Jekiri went 3-of-5 from the floor and dished out to his dangerous teammates whenever he could.
Jekiri’s play in the paint forced more Blue Devil perimeter defenders to think about helping Jefferson and Okafor, freeing up open 3-point shots for some very good long-range shooters.
“Give all the credit to [Miami],” captain Quinn Cook said. “All the intangibles weren’t there [for us] for 40 minutes. We’re going to be fine. We’re going to take the hit—take all the negativity that we’re going to get and take it in stride…. They’re great players and they made plays.”
Part of this lapse in defensive play could be due to the fact that Duke’s own backcourt has not been shooting well since the start of ACC play. In four conference games, Duke guards are shooting just 35.6 percent from the floor and just 35.7 percent from behind the 3-point line. The Blue Devils seem to have lost the shooting stroke that powered them to a perfect 12-0 mark earlier in the season against non-conference competition.
With the youngest starting lineup since 1983, it is understandable to see some growing pains as ACC play gears up. Krzyzewski said he believes that youth may be playing a large role in both the shooting woes and defensive struggles for the young Blue Devils as they deal with their first bout of adversity as college players.
“We’re not a very confident shooting team right now,” Krzyzewski said. “We’ve been giving more run-outs. Part of that is missing shots.... If you give people run-outs or dunks, you give [them] a level of confidence.”
The unfortunate part of playing in the toughest conference in the nation is that even when mired in a difficult stretch—such as the one in which Duke currently finds itself—there is no break against an easy opponent to regain some confidence. The Blue Devils head next to Louisville, Ky., to face off against Rick Pitino and the No. 6 Cardinals Saturday.
Fixing the defense has to become the priority for this team going forward. If it can get more stops defensively, especially against a forward-heavy team like Louisville, that might be able to give them some more confidence on the offensive end.
If anyone has the answers to fix these problems, it is Mike Krzyzewski, who has been through it all as a head coach. But it’s been a while since he’s been through this.
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