Duke Blue Devils Avoid Upset Versus UNC Wilmington
On Tuesday, the Duke Blue Devils avoided a possible second-round upset against a feisty UNC Wilmington opponent. Of course, many fans find pleasure in picking against Duke in March Madness, with upsets versus Lehigh and Mercer fresh in their mind. However, this year’s Blue Devils team passed the test on day one. UNC Wilmington, which led by three points at the break, seemed to have Duke on their heels for much on the first half.
Despite the Seahawks’ three-point lead at the break, the Blue Devils did not fret. Instead, Duke immediately took control in the first few minutes of the second half, aided by center Marshall Plumlee. Plumlee’s interior presence keyed Duke’s early second-half run, which sucked the life out of the Seahawks. Plumlee’s notable size advantage inside against a small UNC Wilmington frontcourt was utilized, and the Seahawks had no counter. Wilmington’s starting center CJ Gettys fouled out midway through the second half, and Duke’s advantage inside was only amplified after his dismissal. As ESPN notes, Mike Krzyzewski made it a point to forcefully use his size in the second half.
Duke 2nd half summary pic.twitter.com/FikkkGaEK4
— SportsNation (@SportsNation) March 17, 2016
On the perimeter, it was once again Brandon Ingram who starred for the Blue Devils. According to the News & Observer, Krzyzewski had some wise words for Ingram before the game on Thursday.
“He will be affected by the memory of what he does in the tournament. This is the one time you will be in the NCAA tournament, and to make the most of that opportunity.”
Against the Seahawks, Ingram surely made the most of his opportunity. In his first career tournament game, he tallied 20 points and 9 rebounds. This big game will only help his draft stock, which is higher than ever right now as NBA scouts begin to fall in love with his shooting and defensive potential. Ultimately, however, much of Ingram’s evaluation will be compared to last year’s stellar Duke freshman, Jahlil Okafor. Last year, Okafor led the Blue Devils all the way to the National Championship, and it is unclear if Ingram has the ability to bring that type of impact to Duke this season.
Brandon Ingram put his name among Duke stars in his first NCAA tournament appearance. pic.twitter.com/xC2SceKKeM
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 17, 2016
Next to him, Grayson Allen chipped in 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists for Duke. Allen lived at the free throw line, making 15 of his 17 attempts from the charity stripe.
In the end, Ingram, Allen and Plumlee combined for 66 of the 93 points scored against Wilmington, and that could be a cause for concern down the road. Luke Kennard, a freshman who averaged 11.9 points per game this season, struggled from the field and only finished with five points. Duke’s reliance on such a small amount of players may lead to the demise of the Blue Devils in the end, a team that played only seven players in their second-round matchup.
Now, after escaping their contest against a scrappy, upset-minded opponent, Duke will wait to play the winner of Baylor and Yale. Still, one trend remains clear for the Blue Devils: If Plumlee can become a consistent physical force inside, Duke will contend once again. However, Plumlee has gone quiet frequently this season, and his play against one of the smallest teams in the tournament is probably just an aberration. On the perimeter, Ingram and Allen are certainly capable threats from the outside, but it may be Plumlee’s interior presence that makes difference for the Blue Devils in March.
[Photo by Maddy Meyer/Getty Images]
