However Duke is trending as it enters the NCAA tournament in
recent years is usually a pretty solid barometer of how effective the Blue
Devils will play once in college basketball’s biggest party.
Even some of Duke’s recent ACC tournament championship teams weren’t sparkling
in winning that event, such as last season, and its eventual loss to Arizona in
the Sweet 16 didn’t surprise those who had closely followed the team.
Other similar examples date back to 2007 and 2008, years the Devils never got
out of the first weekend of the NCAAs, they were also seasons Duke didn’t win
the ACC tournament.
As Duke gets ready to take on Lehigh on Friday night in Greensboro, NC, it’s a
little more difficult to corral that trending meter to confidently gauge just
what the Blue Devils will do over the next couple of weeks.
On the surface, Duke appears to be in trouble. Ever since a win at Florida
State a few weeks ago on a night the team finally looked like it had serious
Final Four potential, the Devils just haven’t played well.
They were worse in the ACC tournament, edging Virginia Tech in the
quarterfinals before falling to Florida State in the semifinals. But the
difference in Atlanta is that Duke didn’t have the services of junior forward
Ryan Kelly, who missed the tournament with an ankle injury.
Kelly’s availability for the NCAAs is unknown and it’s likely he won’t play
against the Mountain Hawks on Friday. If Duke has
to make way without Kelly for a while, this NCAA tournament stay may be a brief
one.
The Blue Devils, the No. 2 seed in the South Region, averaged 20 fewer points
per game in Atlanta than in the regular season and converted just 10-of-46
shots from 3-point range after draining bombs at a 37.6 percent clip during the
regular season. It’s obvious they missed what the mobile 6-foot-10 Kelly gives
them.
But Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said so many of the sets they run for Kelly are
specific to his stretch four position that they didn’t call those in the
tournament.
“They are certain sets that he runs offensively that are kind of primarily with
a stretch four,” the legendary coach said. “And what we had to do down in Atlanta
is you eliminate that kind of stuff from your offensive menu. You’re a little
bit more restricted with what you do.”
A limited menu for a team that already lacks offensive creators isn’t exactly a
recipe for success. So getting Kelly back, especially by the Sunday game against
either Xavier or Notre Dame, assuming the Blue Devils get past Lehigh, could be
the final piece to advancing to another Sweet 16.
Kelly isn’t running yet, but to maintain his stamina and conditioning he’s
doing a great deal of work in a pool. Krzyzewski said Tuesday he hopes Kelly
will begin getting some court work in by Thursday.
“At times, the way we were running offense down there, we were offensively
challenged, which we haven’t been, until Ryan went out,” the coach said.
It will also help if junior guard Andre Dawkins can find his stroke again.
Dawkins hit six 3s and scored 22 points in the win at FSU, but has totaled just
three points — one made basket — in the five games since.
If he can hit some early shots it can soften and extend an opponent’s defense,
which might allow for more open driving lanes for Austin Rivers and Seth Curry,
who approach to the rim has improved of late. Plus, Dawkins goes from a poor
defender to a decent one when his shots fall.
Regardless, Duke is still Duke and its coach is the best in the business.
Krzyzewski was relaxed Tuesday, almost as if he’s feeling no pressure entering
the tournament, which is rare.
His team has been disjointed at times and is atypical for what Duke usual
composition. So he’s just happy to have another shot at seeing what his club
can do.
“The tournament has been great for our program and we’ve been good for the
tournament,” Krzyzewski said. “The last 16 years our teams 14 times have been
one or two seeds and one of the other times we’ve been a three. Our kids have
done a great job and we just love being in the tournament.
“We’ll do whatever they ask us to do, and hopefully they’re asking us to do it
for a long period of time.”
That, of course, may hinge on Kelly’s health.
