Although Josh McRoberts will be returning to his home state for tonight's game against Indiana, the freshman is hardly expecting a warm welcome.
"I don't think I'm going to be the favorite person on the floor," McRoberts said. "Obviously they're going to be on me the whole time, but I'm looking forward to it."
The Carmel, Ind. native committed to Duke (5-0) at the start of his junior year, fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a Blue Devil. At the same time, though, he disappointed a number of other top programs, including Indiana-a decision he knows Hoosier fans will not let him forget.
Ever since he verbally committed in September 2003, he has been the victim of ridicule from the Indiana faithful. Hundreds of Hoosier fans flocked to his high school games over his final two seasons to express their discontent, he said.
And in his first true road test as a college player tonight at 9 p.m. at Assembly Hall, McRoberts expects the atmosphere to be even more hostile. In fact, he even told his mother not to attend the game so she would not have to deal with the rowdy crowd.
"Obviously this is an away game, and the fans are going to get on him because he didn't go to Indiana, but I think he's just using that as motivation, preparing himself to the best of his ability in order to go out and perform well," freshman Greg Paulus said. "I'm sure he wants to go home and play well, but I think he understands that as long as we get the win, that's saying all that needs to be said."
As Duke is coming off its championship run at the NIT Season Tip-Off last week, No. 17 Indiana (3-0) is looking to make a statement of its own.
The Hoosiers have averaged more than 100 points and 28 assists per contest in their first three games, none of which were against ranked opponents.
And their fans are riled up for the consensus No. 1 team's Big Ten/ACC Challenge visit. The Student Athletic Board and Student Alumni Association have planned a pregame pep rally, and all students have been urged to wear a white shirt in an attempt to create a "white out" effect for Indiana's first nationally-televised game of the season.
"We know it's going to be a hostile environment," Paulus said. "We know they're going to try to get after us. We know we need to come out, get a quick start in and keep the pressure up defensively."
In their two games at Madison Square Garden, the Blue Devils began sluggishly, falling behind early and allowing their opponents to shoot 50 percent or higher in the opening half.
Although Duke's defense has buckled down in the second half, the players know they need to improve on that end of the floor. Paulus said the team cannot afford to allow Indiana to build an early lead and give the crowd even more reason to get excited.
Last season during the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Indiana fans heckled North Carolina's Sean May, who left the state after being named Mr. Basketball as a high school senior and whose father helped lead the Hoosiers to the 1976 NCAA title.
The jeers got the best of May, who was held to just eight points and four rebounds-both well below his season averages. But the Tar Heels got the last laugh, as they escaped Bloomington with a close win.
"Hopefully we'll have the same result as Sean May did," McRoberts said with a smile.
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