Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Sniper Wastes No Time Setting Career-High Marks

Duke basketball guard Jared McCain was cooking early and often against the Seminoles.

Matt Giles

Photo credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
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Less than 15 minutes into the Duke basketball road test against unranked Florida State (13-11, 7-6 ACC) on Saturday afternoon, freshman guard Jared McCain had accounted for over a third of the total points in the game.

The 19-year-old Californian's 22 points at the time, only two shy of his career-high 24 set in a late-December home win over Queens, had powered the No. 9 Blue Devils (19-5, 10-3 ACC) to a 37-28 lead. And his six threes had already eclipsed his previous career-high of five, which he posted in a mid-November home win over Bucknell.

McCain was 8-for-8 from the field and 6-for-6 from deep until coming up empty on a 3-point attempt with 4:46 remaining before the break. That marked the former McDonald's All-American's only miss in the first 20 minutes, of which he was on the floor for all but 58 seconds.

With two ticks left on the clock before entering the locker room for halftime in Tallahassee, he knocked down yet another attempt beyond the arc.

So, by halftime, Jared McCain, an ACC Rookie of the Year frontrunner averaging 12.9 points per game, had already set two new career-high totals with 25 points and seven threes on 9-for-10 shooting from the field.

At the time this article was published, Duke basketball led the Seminoles, 44-34, entering the break, as the Blue Devils look to extend their winning streak to four.

NEXT DUKE BASKETBALL GAME: at unranked Miami (15-10, 6-8 ACC), 7 p.m. ET Wednesday (ESPN)

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UNC Product Ridicules Top Duke Rookie Jared McCain

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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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