Last time Duke took the floor against Georgia Tech, it did not end especially well for the Blue Devils. They walked out of Atlanta with a gritty, but ultimately disappointing, loss.
This time around, there was a degree of determination that was not present in that loss. Despite being without sophomore forward Mark Mitchell, battling injuries and falling behind the Yellow Jackets by as many as 10 points, the Blue Devils managed to pull out the 84-79 victory Saturday evening in a game that indicated just how resilient and adaptable this group can be. The tone of this game was different right from the beginning, as the news that Mitchell would not be playing due to a knee injury presented a challenge.
“To go into this game without Mark, he's such an important guy for us. I call him a connector,” said head coach Jon Scheyer after the game. “I thought we came out with good energy and all that, but it puts everybody in a different spot no matter what. And I thought we missed him.”
Lacking the sophomore, who has been key all year as a solid scorer and a flexible defender who can guard positions 1-5, Scheyer went with a smaller lineup consisting of four guards and sophomore center Kyle Filipowski. It took some adapting, as the home team relied more heavily on quick cuts to the interior and perimeter shooting, with less focus being put on designed plays in the post.
It definitely required adjustments without Mitchell acting as a facilitator, which led to some bumps in the road. The Blue Devil offense sputtered at moments, which is part of why the game stayed close for so long. It seemed challenging for the home team to create quality shots, while the Yellow Jackets shot at an incredible clip. Georgia Tech went 11-for-20 from deep, including some acrobatic and improbable-looking attempts. Shots banked off the backboard at strange angles or bounced in after a long time spent hovering at the edge of the rim. The rate at which the visitors’ attempts were falling surprised everyone from the players to the coaches.
“It's the best [the Yellow Jackets] have shot the ball from three recently,” Scheyer said. “[I] thought they had some really tough shots in the paint. And again, you gotta give them credit, tip your hat to the shots that they made.”
Another injury scare that seemed potentially catastrophic for the Blue Devils Saturday was when senior guard and captain Jeremy Roach hobbled off the floor with what appeared to be a knee injury. Despite going down the tunnel with trainers, he returned for the end of the game. For a moment, it seemed like Duke would be without their leader for the end of the game. The next man up mentality shined through, however, as sophomore guard and fellow captain Tyrese Proctor stepped in to help the team find its stride.
Proctor nailed two key 3-pointers to kick off a 13-2 run when the margin was at its widest, sparking the team and pulling the Blue Devils back into a game that, for a moment at least, appeared lost. Even without Roach, Proctor’s offensive potency and willingness to lead helped the team through a difficult moment in the game.
“We have six starters and Ryan [Young] being the seventh has always been able to step in there,” Scheyer said. “And that was the group that carried us way down the stretch. You need somebody to step up. I thought Tyrese stepped up and hit some big shots for us.”
This one was by no means a clean victory for the Blue Devils. At moments, it looked like a weak Georgia Tech team was the better one. Regardless of the follies, though, this was a hugely important win. Duke has now demonstrated that it is capable of battling back in tight games and dealing with the adversity of injuries. Remember that the Yellow Jackets shot exceedingly well in Durham, and have been able to cobble together strong performances in both of the two teams’ meetings — they won one of them and were extremely close to winning both.
This game featured an outlying performance from their opponent, and still the Blue Devils managed to take care of business. Saturday was a sign of significant growth from earlier in the season, where close games like this ended up as losses. Heading into a stacked ACC schedule, gritty wins like this are valuable, and not just in terms of record.
“They're tough. I'm talking mental toughness, not just the physical toughness on the court,” Scheyer said of his team. “And I'm really proud of the growth we've made. And really since [the first Georgia Tech game], I do think we've been a different team.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.
Martin Heintzelman is a Trinity junior and Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.