Handful of Duke basketball players see stocks plummet after loss
Duke basketball players who saw their stock rise against Michigan State
Jaemyn Brakefield
Coming off the bench in just his second game, Jaemyn Brakefield was arguably Duke’s best player on Tuesday night.
The four-star freshman saw 15 minutes and added 11 points, four rebounds, and one assist on 4-of-6 shooting from the field, 1-of-3 from 3-point territory, and 2-of-4 from the free throw line.
By no means did Brakefield demonstrate that the Blue Devils should run their unorganized semblance of an offense through him. But he proved that he can bring energy off the bench, and that should be rewarded and commended for a team that could not match the energy level of the Spartans.
Expect for the Jackson, Mississippi native to see more minutes on Friday night against Bellarmine.
Jordan Goldwire
As Duke tried to mount a comeback late in the second half, Jordan Goldwire was the one behind the charge for the Blue Devils.
The senior point guard provided a spark with his defense, which turned into easy looks at the basket, the only way Duke was able to score in the final 20 minutes.
Despite his lackluster performance against Coppin State, Goldwire needs to be in the starting lineup because his defense and energy are unmatched on this team, and he might be the one stepping up to lead the Blue Devils, who looked leaderless until the final eight minutes.
Jordan Goldwire finished his night with 10 points, five rebounds, one assist, and two steals on 4-of-7 shooting and a perfect 2-of-2 from 3-point range.
Matthew Hurt
Matthew Hurt was the most aggressive he’s ever been in his time at Duke on Tuesday night.
Granted, the forward still has his issues with defensive positioning, but the weight he put on in the offseason gives him the ability to battle down low for rebounds, and he was diving on the floor multiple times for loose balls.
The sophomore forward finished with a team-high 21 points and 13 rebounds on 6-of-14 shooting from the floor, 1-of-3 from 3-point range, and he made all eight of his free throw attempts.
As stated, the 6-foot-9 forward has room to improve on defense, but his expanded offensive game is a positive sign for Duke going forward.