Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Success This March Hinges on One Player

Tyrese Proctor is key to this Duke basketball squad having any chance at hanging a banner.

Matt Johnson

Photo credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

Every Blue Devil fan knows about "March Jeremy." Those who don't haven't been watching postseason Duke basketball action in recent years. Jeremy Roach has shown the ability to carry the team through tough games, and history has shown a veteran guard is a must come tourney time.

Roach has been Superman enough times to have reasonable confidence he will come out of his current two-week slump. But the Duke senior captain needs help; it's so much to ask a player to be both a primary scoring option and keep the emotional boat afloat.

Enter sophomore guard and co-captain Tyrese Proctor.

The 6-foot-5 Aussie has shown flashes of brilliance across his two seasons in Durham since reclassifying to arrive in college a year early. He started this season projected as an NBA lottery pick, and when Proctor is at his best, he can be the most talented player on the floor.

However, Proctor’s performance has been considerably up and down this season, mirroring the overall play of the Blue Devils. Media and internet sources would have you believe he has regressed to a critically low level, but the numbers tell a different tale.

Diving deeper into Tyrese Proctor’s stats, though, show that his field goal percentage is 44.1 percent compared to 38.1 percent last year. That includes a notable increase in 3-point field goal percentage, going from 32.0 as a freshman to 36.5 this go-round, plus a slight bump from last year with his 10.5 points and 3.8 assists per game.

So, what's the problem? The talent and overall production are still there, yet it seems like clutch buckets and assists are too few and far between this year.

Duke needs Proctor to take over games like he did against Tennessee, albeit in a season-ending loss, in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 last year.

Injuries, including a concussion and sprained ankle, have certainly hampered the 19-year-old throughout the season, although he managed to play in all but four games. Factor in the injuries to backcourt mates Jeremy Roach and Caleb Foster, and it's understandable to see a slight change in Proctor’s development.

It's now March, though, and it’s time for the No. 4 seed Blue Devils (24-8 overall record) to forget anything that may have happened during the regular season.

Duke fans shouldn't be concerned about the reliable steadiness of Jeremy Roach's confidence. Still, it's reasonable to worry how the rest of the squad will respond to recent adversity: back-to-back losses to UNC and NC State entering the Round of 64 bout versus No. 13 seed Vermont in Brooklyn at 7:10 p.m. ET Friday (CBS).

STREAM: fuboTV (start your free trial)

Every member of the Blue Devils' primary rotation needs to be in peak form in order for Duke to have a shot at making a deep March Madness run. But Proctor is especially important due to his facilitator role.

When Proctor is getting to the basket and collapsing defenses, Duke can look like an almost unstoppable machine.

Any Duke basketball enthusiast who has studied the program's history knows that a common denominator with all title squads is an elite point guard. Bobby Hurley, Jay Williams, Jon Scheyer, and Tyus Jones were the catalysts to their respective teams' banners.

Second-year head coach Jon Scheyer should be looking to motivate Tyrese Proctor. Be it draft position, love of teammates, or just straight pride as a competitor, Duke needs an elite version of its primary point guard.

An elite version of Tyrese Proctor is an elite version of the Duke Blue Devils. And an elite Duke team can beat anyone in this year's field.

Blue Devils Receive Third-Lowest Final Ranking in 17 Years

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball news.

Published
Matt Johnson
MATT JOHNSON

Matt Johnson is a contributor to FanNation's Blue Devil Country, covering the Duke Blue Devils on SI.com.

Home/Basketball