Duke basketball: 3 studs, 2 duds following win over Kentucky
Duke basketball studs in its victory over Kentucky:
Trevor Keels
Well, everyone saw this one coming.
Trevor Keels was a stud in every definition of the word on Tuesday night against the Wildcats.
The freshman guard posted a team-best 25 points, one rebound, two assists, and three steals on 10-of-18 shooting from the floor.
Keels not only proved that he can be ‘that guy’, but his defense was nearly as good as his offense. Highly thought of Kentucky freshman guard TyTy Washington was held to just nine points on 3-of-14 shooting thanks to the Clinton, Maryland native.
Trevor Keels could be one of the best two-way players Duke has seen in a long time, and he could be making himself a lot more money in the process.
Paolo Banchero
You cannot talk about one and not the other.
It was not as prolific as Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett’s Duke debuts against Kentucky, but Paolo Banchero and Trevor Keels were nearly as impressive as the former Top-3 NBA Draft picks.
Battling cramps all night long, the Seattle, Washington native added 22 points and seven rebounds to the winning effort for the Blue Devils as he was 7-of-11 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free throw line.
Banchero entered Duke as a projected Top-3 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, and he could be the very early frontrunner to be the top selection if he does not hold that spot already.
Standing at 6-foot-10, 250 pounds, there isn’t much the Duke forward cannot do on the basketball court. John Calipari and Kentucky found that out the hard way, as many other teams will do.
The iconic No. 5 jersey is in good hands this season on the chest of Paolo Banchero.
Wendell Moore
This is the Wendell Moore most Duke fans expected all of last season after his promising freshman campaign.
An athletic, versatile, and energetic Wendell Moore took the floor at The Garden on Tuesday night, and that is the same Wendell Moore fans are clamoring for all season long.
The junior wing ended the night with 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists on 6-of-10 shooting, including the game-clinching bucket with 41 seconds to play that put Duke up by eight points.
Moore was excellent on both ends of the floor. As a captain of this Duke team, he must be a leader on and off the court for the Blue Devils, and Tuesday night was a great start.