DeMarcus Nelson started only two of 33 games as a freshman during the 2004-05 season. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound guard averaged 19.2 minutes per game, 6.2 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, and 0.8 assists per game.
His solid reserve role earned him All-ACC Freshman Team honors. Nelson scored in double figures six times off the bench, highlighted by a 17-point performance against Valparaiso in December.
Although Jon Scheyer’s 2007-08 Duke basketball squad finished the season with a disappointing loss to West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament’s second round, the sophomore had a fantastic season off the bench. Scheyer, who now serves as Mike Krzyzewski’s lead assistant, started only one of 34 contests that season but managed to grab at least one rebound in every game and scored in every game but one.
He averaged just over 28 minutes per game as a reserve and tallied 11.7 points per game, 3.9 rebounds per game, and 2.4 assists per game. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard also finished second in the conference in free throw percentage (88.9).