As a freshman, DeMarcus Nelson ruptured a ligament in his right thumb, an injury that hampered his performance all season. This year, the sophomore will have to cope with another injury, a hairline fracture in his right ankle.
Nelson had surgery on his injured ankle Monday afternoon and will miss the next 6-8 weeks, the team announced yesterday.
"We will definitely miss DeMarcus," Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement. "We're pleased that the surgery was successful and that we can expect him to be back at 100 percent later in the season."
Less than 10 minutes into Duke's semifinal game of the NIT Season Tip-Off, a Drexel player rolled into Nelson's right leg while he fought for a loose ball in front of the Blue Devil bench. Nelson said he heard a pop, and he stayed down for several minutes before walking to the locker room under his own power.
Duke will have to adjust to the loss of its most athletic player, Krzyzewski said. Entering the game against Drexel, Nelson had averaged 26.3 minutes per game, delivering 8.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game.
"It'll change the type of team we are, because he's our best athlete and supposedly our defensive stopper, a good rebounder," Krzyzewski said following the Drexel game. "We just have to change."
In the finals of the NIT Season Tip-Off-Duke's first full game without Nelson-the Blue Devils turned to Greg Paulus to start in Nelson's place, and the freshman filled in admirably, tallying eight assists and pulling down seven rebounds.
Fellow freshman Josh McRoberts will be counted on in the upcoming games to help compensate for the loss of Nelson's scoring ability, especially while Lee Melchionni continues to struggle from the field. If it is possible to find a positive in Nelson's injury, his absence will help Duke's other freshmen develop, Krzyzewski and several Blue Devils said.
"It's a time for our younger guys to step up," Dockery said. "It's a big loss. DeMarcus was a major part of our team."
Without his presence, Duke seemed to lack a third scoring threat behind seniors J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams, who scored 45 of the team's 70 points against Memphis.
"DeMarcus could have given you a 20-point game," Krzyzewski said after Friday's game. "When DeMarcus comes back, we have a chance to be better."
Freshman Martynas Pocius will also likely be called upon to help fill the void left by Nelson's injury. The Lithuanian native, who entered the game after Nelson's injury, scored seven points on 3-for-4 shooting from the field Wednesday. Pocius also gave the team a spark, his coach said, when his team was struggling.
"Marty got us off the canvas," Krzyzewski said after the game against Drexel. "I thought Martynas came off the bench and made some big plays for us."
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