Wendell Moore Not Expected Back This Week

Weekend off won't help get freshman back on the floor

Duke freshman Wendell Moore Jr. continues to recover from a broken bone in his right hand, suffered on Jan. 4. Moore was injured in Duke’s win at Miami and had surgery on Jan. 6. He’s expected to return some time in mid-February and was still wearing a large protective brace on the hand last Tuesday, when Duke played its last game.

Moore was averaging 7.4 points per game, fifth on the team. His 3.9 rebounding average was also tied for fifth, and his 28 assists on the season were third most by a Blue Devil. He is also a versatile defender that can shut down a player on the inside or pick someone up on the perimeter.

While Duke had the weekend off for its ACC open date, the extra rest time still won’t be enough to get Moore back on the court.

“We’ve got a little bit of a break from competition,” coach Mike Krzyzewski said after Duke’s win over Miami last Tuesday, the fifth straight game Moore has missed. “Wendell still won’t be ready by next week, but it’s a week where we don’t lose a game with him. So that’s a good thing. And it does give some of these other guys a chance—Joey (Baker) has been playing with a sprained ankle—for us to get rejuvenated after eight conference games.”

Baker missed one game with the ankle sprain but has returned for the last two contests. The sophomore is Duke’s top three-point shooter. Duke has also had sophomore point guard Tre Jones and freshman swing man Cassius Stanley miss time this season.