Duke looks to wrap up the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. at 9:30 p.m. Saturday against Stanford. Before every game, we'll break down a player from each team who could be the difference in the upcoming contest:
Duke: guard Quinn Cook
The senior captain has given coaches and fans alike a demonstration of exactly why he is the leader of the team. With bravado and swagger, Cook has averaged 16.8 points on 57 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc while turning the ball over just once.
Before the season, it seemed as though he would be coming off the bench as backup to highly touted recruit Tyus Jones, but head coach Mike Krzyzewski has opted to go with both point guards in the starting rotation. The platoon has paid dividends for the Duke offense, as Jones has kept the ball flowing consistently and creating plays while Cook has gotten the chance to show off an improved stroke this season.
The Washington, D.C., native has hit three or more triples in each of the Blue Devils’ four games this year and is on the fast track to have his best season in blue and white yet. Against Temple—with Duke shooting just 39 percent—Cook found ways to keep up team morale, whether it was with a big shot or being a vocal presence on the court. He has been huge for a very young team thus far and will need to continue to lead by example in another marquee game Saturday night.
Stanford: guard Chasson Randle
Cook has been huge for the Blue Devils all year, but star Stanford guard Chasson Randle is just finding his groove. The Cardinal had cruised to a 3-0 record despite Randle not finding his touch from beyond the arc before Friday’s win over UNLV. After going just 1-of-8 from 3-point land against Wofford and South Dakota, the senior drilled six triples against the Rebels to build some momentum before the showdown against Duke.
Randle will be facing a stiff challenge from a Duke perimeter defense—headlined by athletic wings Justise Winslow and Matt Jones—that has held all of its opponents to less than 25 percent shooting from long range, with two of them shooting less than 10 percent.
Randle threatening from the outside will be crucial for Stanford’s ability to create space. If he finds his stroke early on, the Blue Devils interior will be more susceptible to cutters and penetration. Should he struggle, center Stefan Nastic—Stanford’s primary scorer and big man—could see plenty of help defense rolling his way in the paint, not to mention the fact that he will be matched up with Okafor for the majority of the contest.
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