Members of the Duke basketball team were made available to the media for the first time since it was announced Ryan Kelly is sidelined indefinitely with a foot injury.
As expected, junior forward Josh Hairston will start in place of Kelly, while players talked about Amile Jefferson, Alex Murphy and Marshall Plumlee stepping up to fill the void.
Here are some of the best quotes from the players made available: Mason Plumlee, Quinn Cook, Hairston and Seth Curry.
On Hairston stepping up as a starter and how his role changes with this opportunity:
Josh is a good defender—he's really played big for us the past couple games. His energy off the bench has been there so now it's just going to be in a starting role. —Mason PlumleeNobody, especially as a teammate, you don't want to see a teammate go down, somebody like Ryan who has worked so hard to recover from his foot injury last year to get to this point. I'm looking at this as an opportunity. I've talked to Ryan, I've talked to Nolan [Smith], who have told me this is my opportunity and I should take advantage of it.—Josh Hairston
I actually had a conversation with coach [Krzyzewski] today, not only myself but Amile and Marshall as well, about having to be smarter... just as far as our play, slowing it down a little bit. Before Ryan got hurt, when Me, Marshall and Amile stepped on the floor is expected of us is to bring intensity and hustle and go 100 miles per hour, play defense and make people work. Now, with this injury, we have to almost manage with foul situation, we have to be smarter than that. Especially if Mason gets in foul trouble, it could easily be me and Marshall on the floor or Amile and Marshall on the floor.—Josh Hairston
On Jefferson, Murphy and Marshall Plumlee getting bigger roles:
That position is not just going to be filled by one guy. It's going to be Murph, Amile. Maybe Marshall comes in and I go to the four, but it will be by committee now. It won't just be one guy.—Mason Plumlee
On how Cook, as a true point guard, makes the transition without Kelly easier than it was last year and implementing more ball screens into the offense:
One of the things I thought was really good [in the second half against Clemson, with Kelly out] was getting him in a high-ball screen. We stayed away from ball screen stuff more this year than we have in the past and I think with Quinn that could be something that's really good. —Mason PlumleeI think I have to be more vocal. Ryan, he's very vocal. He echoes calls, he relays messages from coach, so I think I need to be more vocal.—Quinn Cook
Me and Mason, we have great chemistry off ball screens. Coach sees that it's been working so I think we've been practicing more on it and it's been one of our strengths.—Quinn Cook
On Quinn Cook matching up against Lorenzo Brown, arguably the ACC's best point guard:
You definitely go into a game and want to outplay the opposing point guard. Lorenzo, he's an amazing player... He's the key to their ignition over there. I know it's going to be a tough task at hand, but I'm ready for it.—Quinn CookHe's 6-foot-5, 6-foot-6. I'm 6-foot-1, 6-foot on a good day. That's a challenge there, but I'm closer to the ground. —Quinn Cook
On playing N.C. State, touted as the best team in the ACC entering the season and the team's first road game
I was at ACC media day. I answered more questions about them than us. They have a good team. There's a reason this is the biggest game of the weekend.... These are the most fun games to win. The neutral site games are good.... These are the best. Their fans are crazy, a little obnoxious, but we enjoy that.—Mason PlumleeWe have to get off to a better start than we did last year. I think early on I rolled my ankle and I came back and we were down 15. Hopefully we can get off to a better start.—Seth Curry
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