With their 13-game nonconference schedule in the rearview mirror, the Blue Devils and their top-ranked recruiting class must now prepare for something they have yet to do in their college careers—play a true road game.
No. 15 Duke kicks off ACC play Saturday against Boston College at 4:30 p.m. at the Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass. After losing senior captain Amile Jefferson to a right foot fracture for an unknown period of time, the Blue Devils seem to have found their stride in his absence, topping 100 points in consecutive games as they prepare for their third contest in six days.
“It definitely gives us the confidence we need on the offensive end, especially in ACC play,” junior Matt Jones said after Duke's 103-81 win against Long Beach State Wednesday. “The scouting report tenses up and things like that, so we definitely have to execute."
Duke (11-2) heads north ranked second in the nation in scoring offense, averaging nearly 89 points per contest, and a big reason for that has been hot starts to the season for numerous Blue Devils.
After breaking out in last year’s national championship against Wisconsin, sophomore Grayson Allen has taken the next step and become one of the most lethal scorers in the conference. The Jacksonville, Fla., reset his career-high for the fourth time this season against the 49ers, scoring 33 points—including 24 after halftime—and returning to form after being saddled with flu-like symptoms in Duke's two prior games. Allen will have a chance to pick apart an Eagles defense that has already faced the likes of Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine—a National Player of the Year candidate who torched Boston College for 29 points as part of a triple-double.
Freshman Brandon Ingram came alive in the latter portion of Duke's nonconference slate. After averaging just 10.6 points per game on 36 percent shooting in his first five games, a switch flipped for the 6-foot-9 swingman, who now has scored more than 20 points in four of Duke’s last six games. But conference play will bring a new challenge for the Kinston, N.C., native, who will have to be able to battle with more physical defenders on the perimeter and in the paint.
Alongside Ingram and Allen, the Blue Devils have received solid play from freshman Derryck Thornton and Luke Kennard. After being away from the team for much of the offseason, Thornton has developed a rapport with his teammates and adjusted to the speed of the college game. Kennard struggled to find his stroke from downtown out of the gates, but the Franklin, Ohio, native has since found his footing, averaging 15.5 points per game in the team’s last four contests.
Without Jefferson, though, the Blue Devils are missing one of their most experienced and talkative defenders. Even with the senior forward, Duke has employed multiple zone schemes so far and has been hurt by backdoor cuts and pick-and-roll action when playing man-to-man. Duke enters Saturday's contest after allowing 81 points to the 49ers Wednesday.
“We obviously have to shore things up on the defensive end, because we know—or, I know—in ACC play, you can only outscore people so much,” Jones said.
Boston College (7-6) has struggled adjusting to life without star guard Olivier Hanlan in head coach Jim Christian's squad, but Florida transfer Eli Carter has stepped into the picture to carry much of the scoring load. The guard comes into the game averaging 17.2 points per contest—plus a team-leading 4.5 assists per game—and has the ability to get to the rim against perimeter defenders.
Down one co-captain, Duke will turn to Jones and graduate student Marshall Plumlee for guidance. The Blue Devils rely heavily on four freshmen for offensive contributions, and will need to get acclimated to the hostility of road gyms quickly, because three of Duke's first four ACC games will be played away from the friendly confines of Cameron Indoor Stadium. Minus Jefferson and his nightly double-double, the need to get off to a strong start—something Duke certainly did Monday against Elon with a 70-point first half—looms large.
“We’re going to keep trying to do our best [without Jefferson],” Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “We’re going to try to win. It was nice to close out the nonconference—11-2, good schedule. Overall, we improved a lot.”
Nick Martin contributed reporting.
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