Vernon Carey is good. But Duke has a perimeter scoring punch too.
The more Duke’s opponents spend their energy and manpower defending 6-10 freshman Vernon Carey in the middle, the more room there is for Tre Jones to go to work on the perimeter.
That, as the No. 2 Blue Devils showed in a 90-59 dismantling of Wake Forest on Saturday night, can be a downright scary scenario for opposing coaches.
While Carey scored a season-low eight points, 10 points below his season average, and attempted just six shots, Jones poured in 23 points and dished out five assists helping his teammates roast the Demon Deacons.
“Tre’s playing at a really high level because he’s looking for his shot, too,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said.
Jones shot 15 times against Wake Forest, the most shots he’s attempted in a game since Dec. 6 when Duke won 77-63 at Virginia Tech. He sank 10 of those 15 attempts, including three of four 3-pointers.
It didn’t take long for him to assess the Demon Deacons’ defense to see shots were there for he and Duke’s other perimeter players.
“Reading how they’re playing, what type of defense they’re in, who they’re shading toward and trying not to let score,” Jones said. “I’m just trying to take what the defense gives me.”
They gave him plenty and he took even more.
Duke (15-1, 5-0 ACC) made 11 of 23 3-pointers, with Jones and Joey Baker nailing three each. Six different Blue Devils sank a 3-pointer as they took advantage of gaps in Wake’s defense.
The Blue Devils also shared the ball exceptionally well, collecting 20 assists on 33 made baskets. Duke passed the ball well in half-court sets and were even better in transition situations, thanks to Jones.
“He is the best guy in the country as far as passing ahead,” Krzyzewski said. “In fact, a lot of people don’t. They dribble. So, if our guys run, they’ll be hit…. If you are open, he’s throwing it. We can can try to score on a defense that’s had to rush back instead of walk back and set up. It creates a few more openings.”
In addition to Jones’ scoring, Cassius Stanley added 16 points and Jordan Goldwire 10. So Duke’s three starting guards combined for 49 points.
Jones, Stanley said, was on his game.
“Magnificent,” Stanley said. “He was masterful. There were times I was running the break, I’d look up and swish, swish. He’s amazing. Definitely the best player I’ve ever played with.”
From the game’s beginning, Duke played with energy and confidence.
Cameron Indoor Stadium buzzed like it rarely had this season, what with the students back on campus and crammed into their sideline section.
The Blue Devils also felt extra juice from a new uniform style, a rare occasion where they wore dark jerseys — navy blue trimmed in white — on their home court. Duke appeared in Gothic lettering across the front.
“We were wearing these special uniforms,” Stanley said with a smile. “It was kind of like we can’t lose. That was basically the thought we had. We can’t lose this game. We were really locked in on the game plan and the veteran leadership helped us.”
The Blue Devils played determined, efficient offense, combining it with their usually strong defense, to run away from Wake Forest early.
Duke hit 18 of its first 24 shots — an astounding 72 percent. That included sinking six of its first nine 3-point shots. With that kind of production, the Blue Devils sprinted to a 45-21 lead with 3:34 to play until halftime.
For all its game planning to deal with Carey and his 18.1 scoring average, Wake Forest had no chance.
“He knows what it is,” Stanley said of his fellow freshman starter. “He was killing it the whole season and he knows that people are going to start really scheming to stop him, but he’s a great passer and a great player,so he’s going to be fine.”
Jones spearheaded Duke’s early charge. He hit a 3-pointer from the left corner on Duke’s first possession and sank a jump shot in the lane the next time the Blue Devils had the ball as they scored the game’s first five points.
Matthew Hurt hit an open 3-pointer, after Carey zipped him the ball to secure the first of his three assists, on Duke’s next possession and the Blue Devils were rolling.
Between them, Hurt and Carey average 29 points per game. Against Wake Forest, they scored only 13 points.
The fact that it didn’t matter, that Duke posted its third win in its last four games by a margin larger than 30 points, showed just how dangerous this edition of the Blue Devils can be.
This story was originally published January 12, 2020 at 12:26 AM with the headline "Vernon Carey is good. But Duke has a perimeter scoring punch too.."