Duke Basketball Tears at Wake Remind Jon Scheyer of 2010 Moment

The fire igniting inside the Duke basketball players right now gives Jon Scheyer some déjà vu vibes.
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The No. 10 Blue Devils (21-6, 12-4 ACC) have a long way to go before attaining the status of the 2009-10 Duke basketball national champions. But second-year head coach Jon Scheyer, a starring senior and full-time starting floor general for that memorable squad in Durham 14 years ago, sees a similar mood taking shape.

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On Monday night, the 36-year-old told Voice of the Blue Devils and Fast Break with Jon Scheyer host David Shumate that the emotions in the locker room following Saturday's 83-79 letdown at Wake Forest brought to mind his last loss in college: 79-72 at Maryland on March 3, 2010, dropping that Duke team to 25-5 overall (12-3 ACC).

Scheyer spoke at length about the connected mentality that his Blue Devils must have to make this their "moment" to spark a season-ending winning streak of their own, with the potential to be a few games longer than the 10 in a row that he and the 2009-10 Blue Devils reeled off en route to cutting down the nets in Indianapolis:

"It reminds me a little bit of my senior year. We played at Maryland, and our team at that point had been on a roll. And we lost. It was their Senior Day. We lost a close game down the stretch...We came up short, and it wasn't because of effort or anything like that. We just missed out on a couple plays.

"And it was similar to [the loss at] Wake. You know, we competed...I mean, we played hard. We tried. It's not just [about] playing hard, though. It's playing smart, and it's being incredibly connected against a good team.

"So, if you're a second late in a rotation, they're gonna make you pay. If you leave your feet when you need to stay down and not go for a shot fake, they're gonna make you pay. You know, we doubled a couple of times from the post; if you come from the wrong way or don't communicate it, they're gonna make you pay.

"I can go down the line. But throughout a game, those plays add up. And that's what we learned my senior year. We went on to not lose after that.

"But I thought this moment [on Saturday]...I mean, look, guys were crying in the locker room. They're disappointed. They're upset today. They're taking responsibility. They're ready to get back to work. And to me, that's a mark of a team that cares, that wants to do really well...

"This is going to be a moment for us. I feel it. It's gonna be a moment for us."

NEXT DUKE BASKETBALL GAME: at home versus unranked Louisville (3-13, 8-19 ACC), 7 p.m. ET Wednesday (ACCN)

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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.