Duke Basketball: Jon Scheyer Seeks Solution to Recurring Issue

Duke basketball standards suggest the Blue Devils should soon rectify their recent end-of-half woes.

The Duke basketball team hasn't won the final minutes of the first half in a game since entering the break on a 23-12 run to take a commanding 48-23 halftime lead at Pitt way back on Jan. 9.

What looked like a fluke a few weeks ago is now a full-fledged trend. Here are the runs that the past seven opponents have put together to either cut into the Blue Devils' advantage at the half, take the lead themselves (see: the home loss to Pitt on Jan. 20), or extend their lead (see: Saturday night's road loss to UNC):

• Notre Dame outscored Duke, 12-7, in the final 5:44
• UNC outscored Duke, 19-11, in the final 6:17
• Virginia Tech outscored Duke, 8-3, in the final 3:29
• Clemson outscored Duke, 6-0, in the final 3:03
• Louisville outscored Duke, 14-7, in the final 5:25
• Pitt outscored Duke, 15-8, in the final 7:16
• Georgia Tech outscored Duke, 21-11, in the final 9:20

Sure, as was the case in Wednesday night's 71-53 home win over the unranked Fighting Irish (7-16, 2-10 ACC), the No. 9 Blue Devils (17-5, 8-3 ACC) have shined across other stretches in most of the above outings. Even so, the lackluster finishing touches to their first-half performances should now be a legitimate concern.

Top plays from the win over ND pic.twitter.com/ZuHsfMghsc

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) February 8, 2024

So, following the Notre Dame game, Blue Devil Country on SI.com asked second-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer about the trend. While the 36-year-old didn't come up with a quick fix off the top of his head, he confirmed that finding ways to improve play late in the first half has become a point of emphasis:

"It's a key point, and I wish I had the answer for you because we've talked a lot about it. And it's the difference of [what could have been a big halftime lead] — not to say it's not a game — but you have a chance when you have these leads. I mean, literally, except for the Carolina game, we had a lead in the first half.

"So, you get a chance to stretch it, something we've done so well over the years here. But even earlier in the season, we were closing halves stronger. And we have to figure it out. I wish I had the answer for you right now. But we've talked about it. We've worked on it.

"At some point here, we just need to translate it. And by 'some point,' I hope that's Saturday because it can come back to bite you in these games."

NEXT DUKE BASKETBALL GAME: at home versus unranked Boston College (13-9, 4-7 ACC), 2 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN)

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