Duke Basketball: Jon Scheyer Notices 'Big Step' in Win at FSU

Turnovers aside, Duke basketball's victory over Florida State was a blueprint for how to succeed on the road.
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Duke basketball sloppiness, to the tune of a season-high 17 turnovers, was a concern in Saturday's 76-67 win at unranked Florida State (13-12, 7-7 ACC). That said, consider giving the No. 9 Blue Devils (20-5, 11-3 ACC) a pass due to the absence of point guard Tyrese Proctor (concussion) paired with the Seminoles' aggressive style of play.

Furthermore, as second-year Duke head coach Jon Scheyer explained in his postgame presser, sloppiness isn't so detrimental to the Blue Devils when they're the ones frequently cleaning up the slop by coming up with loose balls.

"We were tough," Scheyer said about his squad's overall fight in Tallahassee, a marked improvement in effort from Duke's last road game and most recent loss, 93-84 at archrival UNC on Feb. 3, when the Blue Devils, who have now reeled off four straight wins, often appeared flat. "I thought we were really tough throughout."

Again, the Blue Devils' sometimes-hurried performance at Florida State should warrant some critique when it comes to not taking care of the ball. But Scheyer reiterated that the satisfaction he felt from watching his guys put their grit on full display outweighs any disappointment stemming from a single ugly column on the box score.

"We weren't perfect," he added. "And very rarely can you be perfect on the road, especially here. You have to be able to turn the page quickly when you make a mistake, when they turn you over, cause you're not gonna walk out of here with zero turnovers — it's just not gonna happen.

"And there were a couple of key plays. That's why I mention Jaylen [Blakes], Sean [Stewart], because they got loose balls for us. Our guys were all over the floor. And to outrebound them by nine [36-27] and have 15 offensive rebounds, I think that's a big step and something we need to learn from."

NEXT DUKE BASKETBALL GAME: at unranked Miami (15-11, 6-9 ACC), 7 p.m. ET Wednesday (ESPN)

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.