Duke Basketball: Three Biggest Surprises From Exhibition Games

Duke Basketball dominated in exhibitions against Northwest Missouri and Bowie State. What were some of the most unexpected stories from the preseason?

The Blue Devils looked great in opening exhibitions in routs of Northwest Missouri and Bowie State. We expected Duke to win easily against both teams, recording 93-60 and 116-53 wins. Additionally, Grayson Allen and Marvin Bagley III were projected to dominate, which they did nearly averaging double-doubles in both games. It’s only the preseason, but what were some unexpected observations from the Duke exhibition matchups?

Gary Trent, Jr.

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Gary Trent Jr. has been one of the more overlooked freshmen on the team compared to Marvin Bagley III, Wendell Carter, and Trevon Duval, however he was arguably the best rookie on the team based performances in the two preseason games. After earning a starting spot and excelling in the Blue & White scrimmage, he averaged 18.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in the exhibitions. On top of that, Trent was extremely efficient on offense making 14-22 shots, 5-11 threes, and 4-5 free throws in both games. If he can keep this level of play up during the regular season, Gary Trent will be a major factor in the success of Duke Basketball this season.

Javin DeLaurier

After playing a minimal role last season, it appears Javin DeLaurier’s offseason improvement has earned him playing time this year. He played extremely well in the first exhibition game, recording 9 points on 100% (4-4) shooting, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists against NW Missouri. He struggled in the second exhibition after moving into the starting lineup due to suspensions, but still contributed three 3 assists. His passing may be the biggest surprise, with the sophomore forward compiling 5 assists and no turnovers in the preseason. DeLaurier’s defense is key to helping him see the floor, as well as his experience and play-making ability.

Player Suspensions

One of the more unfortunate surprises was the player suspensions for the second exhibition game. Head coach Mike Krzyzewski suspended three players, Trevon Duval, Jordan Goldwire, and Alex O’Connell, due to a “violation of team standards“. More importantly, these are all key players who will be key contributors for the Blue Devils this season.

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Duval is the starting point guard for the team and expected to play a huge role this year. Meanwhile, Goldwire and O’Connell both provide depth at the guard positions behind starters Duval, Grayson Allen, and Gary Trent, Jr. The Duke Basketball program did not release exact reason for the suspensions, but hopefully this will not be a recurring issue causing inconsistent lineups and problems throughout the regular season.

Honorable Mentions: Press Defense, Justin Robinson, Trevon Duval (defense), Wendell Carter (rebounding)

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