Blue Devil Country

Undefeated Duke basketball head coach gets cold water bath

The entire Duke basketball squad surprised Jon Scheyer after his first win.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer (Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)
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Jon Scheyer is 1-0 in his first year as the Duke basketball head coach following the preseason No. 7 Blue Devils' 71-44 home victory over unranked Jacksonville on Monday night.

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To sweeten the moment, all of Scheyer's players awaited his entrance to the locker room afterward with loaded water bottles in their hands. As the Duke basketball creative team captured in the tweeted video below, the former Blue Devil national champ — as a player in 2010 and assistant in 2015 — didn't see it coming.

"To be honest with you, I hardly thought about it," Scheyer told the media about the group's makeshift celebration of his first-win achievement. "And after we won, the reaction from our guys...a couple of them said something to me coming off the court. I didn't talk to them one time about it being my first or anything like that. But that meant a lot how they responded."

On the other hand, it sounds like the temperature of the water almost froze the 35-year-old.

"When people pour cold water on you, I went into shock a little bit for a second," Scheyer noted.

Altogether, he sounded appreciative to an infinite degree when summarizing what the night meant to him as a forever Blue Devil.

"What an opportunity, what a moment," Scheyer said. "This is a place I've grown up in, playing, coaching, and to be here as a head coach, I was not going to be anywhere other than this moment right now. And hopefully, I can do that going forward through the ups and downs."

He now trails his predecessor, all-time wins leader Mike Krzyzewski, by only 1,201 victories. Jon Scheyer and his energized Blue Devils will work on making it an even 1,200 to go at 6:30 p.m. ET Friday when they host USC Upstate.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for daily Duke basketball content.

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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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