Collision Course: Panthers vs. Blue Devils at the Garden

Freshmen give Duke new look, big boost

Zoubek, McClure Finding Their Roles at Duke

Duke adopts Suns' style

Duke needs Nelson's shot vs. Pitt

So, does everybody love Taylor King so far this season?  There is no doubt that Duke got a special player in TK.  Here is a must read from the LA Times where it infers the obvious in that our gain is UCLA's loss.

The Blue Devil Nation has been covering the exploits of Taylor King for a long time.  TK accepts the MVP of the Hoophall Classic in this picture I took in Cameron during the event.

Dan Wiederer has written a great article on Taylor King and the NCAA's plans to move the 3-point line back to 20 feet, 9 inches.

"It doesn’t matter to me," the Blue Devils freshman said. "Not even a little. Put the line down. I’ll shoot wherever that is and way out beyond. It does not matter."

Wiederer discusses King's struggles away from home. "King is far from Duke’s top offensive weapon, the team’s fifth-leading scorer overall. In games away from Durham, he has made just four of 15 shots and is averaging 2.5 points per game. But inside Cameron, his range has made him an immediate cult hero where chants of "T-K-Oh!" frequently reverberate from the Crazies."

Duke's coaches have given King a three question checklist: "Is it a quick shot? Is it off the first pass? Is it contested?" said assistant coach Chris Collins. "Anytime Taylor’s open and he’s got his feet set, we’ve let him know that he can shoot the ball from well past the NBA 3-point line. But he has to make sure it’s within our offense."

Michigan goes back to basics

Michigan guard Jerret Smith will miss Duke game for academic reasons

Michigan's Smith to sit out Duke game

Duke-Michigan rivalry filled with history

 

 

The 8-0 Blue Devils host the 3-5 Michigan Wolverines Saturday at 2 PM. Duke has been impressive so far this season. With nine players making significant contributions per game: Kyle Singler (14.1 points/26.9 minutes), Gerald Henderson (13.8/22.3), DeMarcus Nelson (11.9/29.6), Jon Scheyer (11.0/27.0), Taylor King (9.9/13.4), Greg Paulus (9.0/26.6), Lance Thomas (5.8/21.4), Nolan Smith (4.6/14.5), Brian Zoubek (3.4/11.4); with no player averaging 30 minutes of playing time per game, last year's depth and scoring problems are history. Duke is averaging 85.6 points per game on 50% shooting from the floor, including 42.6% from behind the three point line.

For Michigan, which has lost three straight games, points have not been as easy to come by as they are averaging 64.5 points per game on 41.6% shooting from the floor. The Wolverines have two players averaging double digit points per game: Manny Harris (16.6), a 6'5" freshman guard, and DeShawn Sims (12.4), a 6'8" forward.

My prediction: Duke's pressure defense, fast break, and long range shooting are too much for Michigan to handle. Duke 86 - Michigan 58.

Martynas Pocius will undergo surgery on his left ankle in January.  Similar surgery was performed on his right ankle at the conclusion of last season.  He is expected to make a full recovery.