“Disruptive.”
That was the word Virginia Tech head coach Mike Young used to describe Duke’s performance in its 88-65 win on New Year’s Eve.
“You can't give them another crack at it. That is going to kill you,” Young said. “Against that bunch you've got to be really physical … sustain that ball and go chase it.”
Concerns of rust from the 10-day break were raised at the beginning of the contest as the Blue Devils struggled to keep up with the Hokies, who capitalized on a Cooper Flagg foul for crucial early-game momentum.
Despite a slow start, Duke closed out the year with a masterclass in depth for a 23-point victory against Virginia Tech. In the process, the home squad showed that the key to success doesn’t always lie within the box score.
“We have a lot to improve on, a lot to do, but it's great to take this first step forward coming back from break.” said Jon Scheyer
Prior to Tuesday night’s game, the Blue Devils have been on a bit of a slow streak to start games. While Duke has won seven straight games dating back to the late-November matchup against Seattle, the Blue Devil squad has needed time to thaw out in the first period. However, the team seems to do so much more quickly when more pressure is applied.
The Blue Devils should not underestimate what their opponents can do with early-game momentum. Against powerhouses like Auburn this approach is shielded behind the caliber of opponent, but for mid-major teams and lower-ranked conference challengers, the Blue Devils have put themselves in sticky situations, such as only leading by seven points against Incarnate Word at halftime or finding themselves in a 14-point deficit against Louisville.
As it faced-off against the Hokies, Duke yet again found themselves out in the cold in the first half. Connecting on only 26.3% of threes, the Blue Devils trailed just behind the Hokies in the first 10 minutes of play. Helping to keep Virginia Tech in check however, was Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown.
“He's my nemesis in this league, his ability to get hands on balls and deflect balls is uncanny," Young said.
Although Brown’s capability doesn’t always show in the box score, the junior forward keeps the energy high even when injured. After a toe injury in the matchup against the Cardinals, Brown’s physicality is still recovering, but his fighting spirit is still intact.
“I don't think he's quite himself yet, but his passing, his defense, is just such a big weapon for us,” Scheyer said.
Subbed in five minutes into the first half, Brown’s experience made all the difference in the paint. Freshman Khaman Maluach had struggled to keep up offensively against the Hokies' 7-foot center Patrick Wessler. Brown’s world-class defensive ability opened the door for Duke to recover from the two-point trail the Hokies had locked them into.
“Virginia Tech, they're going to make you really guard. You're gonna face great physicality and defense, and I thought we just did a great job of consistently trying to wear them down, even though they're deep,” Scheyer said.
Despite an overall disappointing performance beyond the arc, a few key moments helped the Blue Devils to breeze past the Hokies in the signature Duke second-half storm.
In the blink of an eye, the ball passed between almost every member of the team, finding Isaiah Evans and landing into Tyrese Proctor’s hands for a clean 3-pointer — truly showcasing the team’s ability to work off each other. Just 30 seconds later, Evans capitalized off a Brown rebound for a three of his own.
Notably, Evans' assist to Proctor was his first of the season. Scheyer’s tendency to play the Fayetteville, N.C., native hard and fast has given Evans a chance to play a supportive role to his teammates. Evans’ selflessness paid off, notching him one of four triples and showcasing Scheyer’s emphasis of collaboration in the process. The Blue Devils had 19 made assists on 31 field goals in the afternoon, tied for their third-highest mark of the season.
“We've simplified it more for them and give them credit. At the end of the day, they need to make the right plays. They need to be unselfish,” Scheyer said.
The contest against Virginia Tech has proven that Duke has all the right pieces to become a national championship caliber team — it just needs to apply those skills before the second half of the game.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.