There should be plenty of new personnel for No. 6 Duke to show off when it plays its home opener Saturday afternoon against Western Carolina in Durham, N.C.
And perhaps it won’t just be freshmen who stand out for the Blue Devils.
Sophomore guard Isaiah Evans demonstrated he’s ready for a heightened role when he scored a career-high 23 points as the Blue Devils opened the season with a 75-60 victory over Texas on Tuesday in Charlotte, N.C.
“I thought we showed great fight,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “Obviously, there’s a lot we can do better and clean up. … Lineups, rotations, things we’re doing, this is a big-time evolution. Where we’re going, it’s a long way away from where we are versus where we’re going.”
Evans made four 3-point shots in the opener. Combined with last season, the Blue Devils are 12-0 when he connects on three or more 3-pointers.
“His efficiency was high level,” Scheyer said. “He creates so much gravity, where guys are concerned with him, that opened a lot up for our team.”
Duke still has highly touted freshman Cameron Boozer to put on display. He had 15 second-half points in the Texas game after he was shut out in the first half. He finished 9 of 12 from the free-throw line.
Western Carolina, meanwhile, is coming off a 94-63 season-opening loss Monday at Cincinnati. Second-year Catamounts coach Tim Craft said challenging games early in the season are part of the norm for programs such as his.
“You’re trying to play the best you can play,” Craft said. “You’re trying ultimately to go in there and win that game. That’s what your focus is. It doesn’t get any easier for us.”
Cord Stansberry posted 23 points — one point off his career high — in 30 minutes for the Catamounts against Cincinnati. He was the only Western Carolina player to play and start in every game last season.
But there’s not a lot of experience on Western Carolina.
“We got into foul trouble, and so we had to play some rotations that we haven’t played hardly even in practice,” Craft said. “That’s part of getting out here and figuring it out.”
After 14 first-half turnovers against Cincinnati, the Catamounts have several areas to address.
“Second half was better for us,” Craft said. “We were able to take care of the ball a little better and have a couple of runs there that hopefully we can take as positives.”
In Duke’s game against Texas, Maliq Brown came off the bench after missing preseason games because of an ailing knee. He had three points and one rebound in 13 minutes and could be ready for additional duty vs. Western Carolina.
“It’s great to see him back out there,” Scheyer said. “Obviously, he’s still working through a lot.”
Saturday’s game will be the first of four November home contests for Duke, which went 17-0 at Cameron Indoor Stadium last season. The Blue Devils have won their past 43 home openers.
–Field Level Media
