Marshall Plumlee
The statline:
Wednesday vs. Wake Forest: 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line, seven rebounds, two blocks, and three fouls in 34 minutes played
Saturday vs. Virginia Tech: 21 points on 6-of-7 shooting, and 9-of-10 from the free-throw line, 10 rebounds, two blocks, and one foul in 32 minutes played
The good: Without senior captain Amile Jefferson, head coach Mike Krzyzewski has been playing Plumlee more and more minutes, and he has delivered. After struggling last week against Boston College, the graduate student stepped up and had his best week as a Blue Devil, averaging 19.5 points and 8.5 rebounds and setting a new career-high in points in each contest.
The 7-foot center has also become a key cog in Krzyzewski’s defense, blocking two shots in each game he played this week. With different Duke players struggling due to foul trouble or shooting woes, Plumlee picked up the offense, knocked down his free throws and played aggressive defense while staying out of foul trouble. The big man has been especially impressive in his ability to lose his defender along the baseline and finish dishes by driving guards with authority.
The bad: In the first half against Wake Forest, Plumlee struggled to finish defensive possessions and allowed forward Devin Thomas to grab four offensive rebounds. His struggles on the glass didn’t end with Thomas, as backup forward John Collins also grabbed three offensive rebounds in the second half and the Demon Deacons finished with a 39-30 edge in rebounding. Although his play was drastically improved in the second half, Duke needs Plumlee to consistently defend and rebound, while feeding the ball to the team’s athletic wings who are capable of finishing in transition.
The bottom line: With Jefferson out, the Warsaw, Ind., native becomes one of the team’s most important players. When Plumlee makes his presence felt in the paint by blocking shots and drawing fouls, he looks like one of the best big men in the conference and the Blue Devils' play soars to another level. The graduate student was also lauded by Krzyzewski following the Virginia Tech game for his adjustment to the way he leads and it appears to be paying dividends for the team. Plumlee's improvement from a raw talent with limited post moves to a skilled big man has been yet another example of the influence the Duke coaching staff can have on players as they progress during their careers in Durham.
Honorable mention: Grayson Allen had another solid week for the Blue Devils, scoring 24 points against Wake Forest and 16 against the Hokies. But the sophomore made his mark in different ways in the two games. Against the Demon Deacons, the sophomore shot 7-of-10 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line, showcasing the efficiency that has made him one of the top scorers in the conference. Against Virginia Tech, Allen shot 6-of-14—hitting just two of his seven shots from downtown—and only attempted four free throws. The Blue Devils will need the 6-foot-5 guard to be at his best as the competition stiffens in conference play.
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