Following its disappointing Champions Classic loss to Michigan State, Duke opened the Mako Medical Duke Classic against a Bellarmine squad playing its first game at the Division 1 level. The Blue Devils jumped out to an early 15-2 lead before the Knights fought back over the final 10 minutes of the period, cutting Duke's edge to 35-25 entering halftime. Here are five takeaways:
Going big
Head coach Mike Krzyzewski trotted out a new starting five, opting to go big and give freshman center Mark Williams his first career start after the 7-foot center totaled just eight minutes through Duke's first two games. Williams made the most of the opportunity, notching three blocks in the first four minutes of the contest and finished the half with with three points, five rebounds and two assists.
Columbia transfer Patrick Tape also received some playing time after not playing a minute against either Coppin State or Michigan State, entering the game with seven minutes remaining in the half and adding two points and a block.
Lockdown defense
Alongside Williams in the starting lineup were Jordan Goldwire, Wendell Moore Jr., Jalen Johnson and Matthew Hurt. In addition to the obvious focus on overpowering Bellarmine with size inside, sliding down Moore to the two-spot showcases Krzyzewski's emphasis on perimeter defense in an attempt to lock down the Knights' talented guards.
The decision seemed to work, with Bellarmine scoring only two points in the first eight minutes of the game. Knight guards Dylan Penn and Pedro Bradshaw, who combined for 20.8 points per game last season, totaled just six points on 3-of-14 shooting in the opening half against the Blue Devils.
Foul trouble continues
One of the key storylines of Duke's loss to Michigan State Tuesday was Jalen Johnson's foul trouble. The star freshman led the Blue Devils to an early 13-3 lead against the Spartans, but two early fouls forced him to the bench early, allowing Tom Izzo's squad to claw its way back into the game.
Johnson's foul struggles continued against Bellarmine, with the Milwaukee native picking up two fouls by the 17:25 mark of the first half, with Krzyzewski keeping him on the bench for the rest of the half. Duke held its own without Johnson for much of the period, leading 15-2 at the 12-minute mark, before the Knights started cutting away at the Blue Devils' lead.
Turnovers galore
Duke dominated the opening eight minutes of the game, looking well on its way to a dominating blowout. But slowly, Bellarmine fought back, with Blue Devil turnovers being the main reason. The home squad totaled nine giveaways in the opening 20 minutes, something Krzyzewski will undoubtedly emphasize in the locker room.
Johnson, Goldwire and DJ Steward led the team with two turnovers apiece.
Player of the half: Jaemyn Brakefield
Brakefield was one of Duke's few bright spots against Michigan State, with the four-star freshman notching 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting against the Spartans. He continued his hot streak in the opening half against Bellarmine, finishing with nine points on a perfect 3-of-3 mark from the field, all shots coming from beyond the arc.
Honorable mention goes to sophomore forward Matthew Hurt, who finished the half with a team-high 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting.
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