In a rivalry game famous for the various send-offs it has provided for four-year standouts, Duke’s lone senior—guard Quinn Cook—is ready for what will be his fourth and final clash with the Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Cook will lead the No. 4 Blue Devils as they take on No. 15 North Carolina Wednesday at 9 p.m. In the past four rivalry contests—he played just 22 combined minutes in two games against the Tar Heels his freshman year—Cook has been a constant source of offensive production, as he averaged 14.5 points and 4.0 assists.
“I don’t know if there’s a more valuable player on any team,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “Just performance-wise, he’s been outstanding. But leadership-wise, he’s been even better. I don’t think any of us—not that we didn’t expect him to be good—but when two areas are outstanding, you just can’t expect that. He’s had a fabulous year, not just a good year. Our guys believe in him, and he’s been like a rock.”
And just like the few standout college players that stick around all four years, Cook has truly stepped into his own in his senior campaign.
Following the team’s heart-breaking early exit from the NCAA tournament last season, the Duke coaching staff knew Cook would have to step up for an incoming group of four freshmen they expected to play right away. So, following the Mercer loss, Krzyzewski sat down with Cook.
“Being the only senior, I’m the most experienced guy, and Coach wanted me to be a leader,” Cook said. “After we lost to Mercer last year, [Krzyzewski] told me, ‘This is your last chance; I need you to lead these guys.’ So I got Coach’s blessing, and when he was gone, I really wanted to step up the leadership with a lot of the young guys and not take a day off and lead by example.”
And lead by example Cook has.
Through 25 games, the Washington, D.C., native is averaging a career-best 14.8 points per game on 45.4 percent shooting from the field and 39.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Cook has already drained 65 treys, which is how many he hit in 35 games last year, and has been the Blue Devils’ answer when they need it most—on and off the court.
“It’s been extra nice [having Cook as a mentor],” freshman point guard Tyus Jones said. “It’s helped me out along the way how steady he is, how much I can lean on him no matter what. Since day one I got on campus, he’s been there to push me along and bring me along and make me better.”
As a mentor and guard, Cook has thrived in his new role alongside Jones and—playing as the only starting senior on either side in his final Duke-North Carolina game—will look to lead the Blue Devils to the season’s 23rd Wednesday night.
“It’s one of the biggest games—every kid dreams of playing in this rivalry,” Cook said. “I’m not looking at it as my last game at Cameron against UNC, I’m looking at it as our first time with this team, our first time playing in this rivalry. I think I’ll be good tomorrow with my emotions.”
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