X Factor: Duke men's basketball vs. Virginia Tech
By Mitchell Gladstone | December 29, 2016Frank Jackson will likely move into a bigger role again with Grayson Allen serving the first game of his indefinite suspension.
Frank Jackson will likely move into a bigger role again with Grayson Allen serving the first game of his indefinite suspension.
Despite an off shooting day from Greenwell, Brown’s 24 points helped the No. 15 Blue Devils top No. 17 Kentucky 69-54 Thursday at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
No. 15 Duke will return to the court following seven days off for its holiday break to host the No. 17 Wildcats Thursday at 7 p.m. at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
With No. 5 Duke opening ACC play Saturday at Virginia Tech, The Chronicle’s men’s basketball beat writers break down some of the biggest storylines of the Blue Devils’ nonconference slate.
Several Blue Devil teams had to cope with adversity in 2016, but few had to face as much as Duke's women's basketball team.
Luke Kennard and Jayson Tatum have shot up draft boards with their consistent play, but freshmen big men Harry Giles and Marques Bolden have disappointed since returning from injuries.
Luke Kennard has consistently been Duke's best player on the floor throughout nonconference play.
In 2011, Mike Krzyzewski became the winningest Division I men's coach in college basketball history. During the summer, a new milestone set him apart from all other coaches in a different category.
A quiet December week for college basketball featured just one top-25 matchup, marking the calm before the storm of conference play.
A number of ACC teams built momentum to finish off nonconference play on a high note.
Lexie Brown put on an efficient scoring clinic to help lift the Blue Devils past the Wildcats last Wednesday.
The Chronicle’s men’s basketball beat writers react to head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s decision and explain what impact it could have on the No. 5 Blue Devils moving forward.
Kyrie Irving has made headlines more frequently off the court than on it, while a surging Jabari Parker is leading the pack for the NBA’s most improved award.
Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski hinted that further action could be taken against Grayson Allen following Wednesday's trip against Elon, and he wasted no time punishing his All-American further after benching him to start the second half. Krzyzewski announced that Allen is suspended indefinitely in a statement Thursday morning—his postgame reaction to the trip and Allen's reaction Wednesday can be viewed here.
The Blue Devils have a pair of sharpshooting guards in Lexie Brown and Rebecca Greenwell, but during Wednesday's game Duke was the team relying on its strength inside.
The No. 5 Blue Devils wrapped up a 72-61 win against Elon at the Greensboro Coliseum, but very few were focused on Duke's 10-game winning streak or freshman Harry Giles' first points as a Blue Devil following the contest. Late in the first half, junior guard Grayson Allen tripped Elon guard Steven Santa Ana on the right baseline, leading to a deadball technical foul and emotional outburst from the All-American.
For the second straight game, Duke is locked in a surprisingly tight game at halftime, but this time it is a fast-paced shootout. And the spotlight will be on Grayson Allen's first-half trip and technical foul.
At first glance, Wednesday's game against Elon appeared to present a chance for the Blue Devils to stay fresh between final exams and a lengthy break for Christmas with ACC play approaching. Instead, Duke will head into that break with a lot more questions than answers.
After starting the season with eight games in 17 days and a cross-country road trip, the Blue Devils will look to play just as sharp following a 12-day break for final exams.