The probable Duke basketball starting five against Michigan State
By Matt Giles
A probable Duke basketball starter versus Michigan State: Jordan Goldwire
Perhaps it’s a sign of old age making Mike Krzyzewski play it safe. Or maybe it’s just a sign of freshman point guard Jeremy Roach, a former five-star prospect out of the Washington, D.C., area, still needing some time before securing one of the most pressure-packed gigs across all sports: the starting point guard for Duke.
Whatever the explanation, it feels as if senior combo guard Jordan Goldwire will be the safe pick, once again, to start at the one-spot when Duke takes Coach K Court to face Michigan State in the Champions Classic.
Yes, Roach perhaps performed a bit better overall than Goldwire against Coppin State and wound up with a handful more minutes (29 to 24) as a result. On the other hand, the gap in play between the two wasn’t substantial.
Plus, the lights will get brighter on Tuesday night, and Goldwire has produced under such bright lights before, even under the lights of March Madness (replay Sweet 16 win over Virginia Tech in 2018). So while Roach is likely to snag the starting reins at some point this season, it doesn’t seem likely that moment will come against the Spartans…