Duke basketball: Five reasons Coach K needs to lighten up

3. Coach K needs to stop ordering safe play because doing so is unsafe

Nerves likely played a part in Stephen F. Austin’s poor play during the first 11 minutes of the game. But a bigger part was Duke’s obvious talent and athletic advantages, leading to a 33-18 advantage.

Up to that point, the Blue Devils had been applying fullcourt pressure and quickly pushing the ball up the court on seemingly every possession. In fact, the intense desire to impose their dominance and run away with the game was about as impressive as any stretch from the squad this season.

At about that nine-minute mark of the first half, though, things changed. After turnovers from freshman forward Matthew Hurt and sophomore point guard Tre Jones on consecutive possessions, Mike Krzyzewski appeared to signal to Jones to call a set play and slow things down a bit.

Why? Because of two measly turnovers in a row? Fear of more turnovers?

Had Coach K instead instructed his players to keep the pedal to the metal for the entire half, it seems almost certain Duke would have led by 20-plus points at the break and then been able to cruise to a 7-0 season record.

Last season, though such way-too-early stall-ball tactics sometimes ended with wins, the resulting weak mentality seemed to affect Zion Williamson and Co. come March, resulting in two lucky escapes in the Big Dance — not to mention an escape at home against lowly Wake Forest a few weeks prior — before the season-ending loss to Michigan State.

Simply put, playing safe before even reaching halftime is not Duke basketball. Not at all. At least, it didn’t use to be.

Moving on…