RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – Duke started the year as the nation’s top-ranked team and Atlantic Coast Conference favorite. Yet as the start of league play arrives, little has gone to plan for the fifth-ranked Blue Devils.
And that could make for an interesting race for the ACC regular-season crown with No. 8 North Carolina, No. 10 Louisville and No. 12 Virginia lurking.
It’s been a challenge for the Blue Devils (12-1) to keep their talented freshman class healthy , with Jayson Tatum (sprained foot), Marques Bolden (lower leg injury), Harry Giles (knee procedure) missing multiple games. And that has meant coach Mike Krzyzewski’s visions of “hellacious, five-on-five” battles in practice haven’t materialized.
Then there’s junior guard Grayson Allen, now indefinitely suspended after tripping an Elon player Wednesday night – the third incident for him in the past 12 months. Duke’s next game its league opener next weekend at Virginia Tech, and Krzyzewski said on Thursday’s “Dan Patrick Show” that Allen “won’t play until I feel good about the entire situation where he is at.”
“Overall our guys have done great,” Krzyzewski said after the Elon win . “But we’re more in October mode than December, because the mistakes we make now are public or against teams that really can beat you. When you play exhibitions and stuff like that in October and early November, they don’t show up as much.”