Three Blue Devils that have to step up for Duke to have a long March run

Jared McCain could be a breakout freshman

The highest-rated freshman in the 2023 Blue Devil recruiting class, Jared McCain, could be a breakout star in the NCAA Tournament. Every year, it seems like some young player makes a name for himself in March so why not McCain this year?

So far, he's averaging 13.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 points per game. Those are excellent numbers for a freshman.

Since December 9, McCain has played like a veteran. With seven 20-point or more games in that time, he's grown into becoming one of Duke's better and most reliable scorers. That includes a monster 35-point game against Florida State to tie the school's freshman scoring record.

That game, he nailed a Duke freshman record eight shots from 3-point range. That's where he could be a true asset in the tournament.

Nearly a 40% 3-point shooter this year, he could be another weapon from deep for a Duke team that has four guards that have drilled at least 28 shots from beyond the arc this year. McCain leads the way in that regard with 71 so he may have to continue to be Duke's best sniper. If that happens, he could make a name for himself while helping carry his team deep into the tournament.