The probable Duke basketball starting five against Michigan State
By Matt Giles
A probable Duke basketball starter versus Michigan State: Wendell Moore
There was hype from Duke coaches and players about Wendell Moore taking giant strides since last season in enhancing his outside shot and overall skill set. There was even talk that the North Carolinian, who started 11 games for the 2019-20 Blue Devils on his way to averaging 7.4 points and 4.2 rebounds across 24.0 minutes per game, could be the No. 1 Blue Devil this season.
Yet against Coppin State, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound sophomore didn’t look much different than he did as a hurried-looking freshman who averaged 4.1 turnovers per 40 minutes on the court. In 26 minutes, Moore committed three turnovers — a couple of which looked just like the ones he regularly committed last season — and that equates to 4.6 turnovers per 40 minutes.
However, though all the contributions weren’t necessarily pretty, Moore did manage 13 points and four rebounds on Saturday while shooting a respectable 6-for-11 from the field, including a 1-for-2 clip from 3-point land.
Add to that the fact Mike Krzyzewski appears to genuinely like and trust the multipurpose athlete as a secondary ballhandler, vocal leader, and willing defender. It’s a safe bet Moore will continue to see a starting job…