After each Duke men’s basketball game this season, check back here for the Player of the Game and more. Monday evening, the Blue Devils stormed back from an early deficit to beat Louisville and stay unbeaten at home. The Blue Zone breaks down the game:
One player: Tyrese Proctor
While multiple Duke players had impressive nights that led to a dominant win against Louisville, Tyrese Proctor got the Cameron Crazies cheering time and again for his performance. With 12 points, four rebounds and three assists, the freshman guard’s playmaking abilities and elite shooting profile were evident all game long. Despite shooting 4-of-13 overall, Proctor went 4-of-8 from beyond the arc, notching smooth 3-pointers that elicited a thunderous roar from teammates and fans alike. The Sydney native has grown tremendously over the season as he continues to strengthen his player profile. With the postseason fast approaching, Proctor will be a key cog in head coach Jon Scheyer’s machine.
One word: Teamwork
As the age-old saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work. The Blue Devils clearly had this cliche running on repeat in their minds as all five Duke starters notched double-digits in the scoring column. Led by captain Jeremy Roach with 14 points, the Blue Devils’ balanced attack created threats all over the court that the Cardinals’ defense could not handle. The bench also had its fair share of incredible performances as the trio of Dariq Whitehead, Jacob Grandison and Ryan Young contributed a total of 17 points. Duke’s unselfish efforts and team play earned it 19 assists on the night as its chemistry continues to strengthen. Meanwhile, Louisville’s heavy reliance on El Ellis and JJ Traynor on offense made the job of the Blue Devil defense easy enough, as the duo combined for 37 of the Cardinals’ 62 points. When they locked down these two main threats, the Blue Devils looked defensively unstoppable as they racked up six steals and 21 defensive rebounds.
One stat: 6 turnovers
Despite a big win against Syracuse Saturday, the Blue Devils have struggled as of late with their ball handling. With 14 turnovers against the Orange and 22 against Virginia a week earlier, maintaining possession has seemingly evaded this Duke team. Its matchup with Louisville saw it take control of the game once more with only six turnovers to its name. While smart decision-making, precision passing and elite ball movement have something to do with the recent success, the Blue Devils’ improved abilities to hold on to the ball have come from continuity and chemistry.
"We’re getting a feel for each other…[and] understanding who’s going to be where,” said Scheyer. “We had two turnovers in the second half of the Syracuse game until the final minute, and then tonight having six, that’s a trend I hope we can continue to see.”
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.
Mackenzie Sheehy is a Trinity sophomore and Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 119th volume.