The Duke basketball team made a statement with its first win of a critical 3-game road stretch with a solid win over a pesky Florida State team, 76-67, which was undoubtedly the statement game of the season from freshman Jared McCain.
McCain single-handedly won this game for Duke, scoring 35 points on 12-of-20 shooting from the field and 8-of-11 from 3-point range, and was so dominant that he began to collect a series of boos from the crowd every time he touched the ball in the second half.
It's something Duke hasn't seen since the days of Grayson Allen and JJ Redick wearing a Blue Devil uniform.
McCain has proven himself to be one of Duke's most consistent players, whether it be offensively or defensively, he always seems to make the right play at the right time to win games. However, the most important factor he has brought to this team has been his positive attitude and energy, which Jon Scheyer has referenced that multiple times throughout the season.
Jared McCain vs. FSU:
— #DukeMBBStats (@DukeMBBStats) February 18, 2024
*35 points (career high matched Zion Williamson's single-game record for points by a Duke freshman)
*Shot 12-for-20 from the floor and made 8 straight shots to start the game
*Went 8-for-11 from 3pt range (set Duke freshman record for 3's in a game)
Winning on the road always will be a challenge, regardless of the narrative around a team or a conference and, at this point in the season, the most important thing for teams to do is to find any way they can get wins on the road to help bolster its tournament seeding.
Duke (20-5, 11-3 ACC) is no different.
While the majority of the players had an off night from a scoring perspective, McCain and Jeremy Roach led the way with a combined 52 points.
It may be easy to look at the production from some of the other players and raise your eyebrows, but it is as an overwhelmingly positive sign as Duke approaches the NCAA tournament.
Teams need to figure out ways to win in different settings and scenarios and Duke has proven that they have been able to win rock fights, high scoring affairs, defensive matchups, on the road, neutral site games, and, of course, at home.
It bodes well for a team that continues to look like it's hitting it's stride at the right time of the year.
The road tests will continue for Duke with trips to Miami (15-11, 6-9 ACC) and Wake Forest (16-9, 8-6 ACC) next week.