Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball: Jon Scheyer Has 'Zero Concerns' About Freshman Guard

Sharpshooter Jared McCain doesn't have to catch fire to positively impact the Duke basketball squad.

Matt Giles

Photo credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
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Jared McCain was not among the five Duke basketball players who finished with double-digit points en route to the No. 8 Blue Devils (21-5, 12-3 ACC) leaving Florida with an 84-55 blowout win over unranked Miami on Wednesday night. No, the 6-foot-3 rookie guard out of California tallied only seven, shooting 1-for-6 from three.

Even so, McCain's outing wasn't exactly a disappointing follow-up to Saturday's 35-point performance that powered Duke to a 76-67 victory at unranked Florida. In that game, the former McDonald's All-American set a Blue Devil freshman record by draining eight 3-pointers while missing only three attempts.

Despite his relatively cold shooting night against the Hurricanes, notice that Jared McCain was involved in two of the top three plays in the eyes of the Duke basketball social media team:

At No. 3, his crafty save, which ended up being a hockey assist that doesn't show up in the box score, led to an easy layup by sophomore guard Tyrese Proctor late in the second half. And at No. 1 is McCain's explosive dunk in traffic that capped off the Blue Devils' momentum-sealing 13-0 run in the first half:

That's not to mention all the open looks that his teammates received as a result of the Miami defenders so often focusing on McCain's whereabouts around the arc.

According to second-year head coach Jon Scheyer's statement to the media afterward, it was an overall solid effort by McCain and not at all a reason to worry:

"I have zero concerns about Jared. You know, the thing with him, he didn't hit shots tonight, but they still know where he's at all the time. And it opens things up for other guys.

"The thing that he's done, like even the last game — he has 35 points — his defense was great in that game; you know, he has three steals. He just plays every play."

"So, the scoring, not that it's not an added bonus, because we need him to score, but for me, it's just his overall play. And when he's on the floor, you have to know where he's at.

"I have zero doubt with him that he'll be back ready to go on Saturday."

McCain, a two-time ACC Rookie of the Week shooting 40.1 percent from downtown in his first year of college ball, averaged only 7.6 points through the Blue Devils' 5-3 start this season. Across the 18 games since, he's leading the Duke basketball team with 16.1 points per contest..

NEXT DUKE BASKETBALL GAME: at unranked Wake Forest (17-9, 9-6 ACC), 2 p.m. ET Saturday (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.

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