college Basket b all preview scouting reports

Kyrie IRving The point guard, who’s already shown he can excel on a big stage, will get support 1 from the team’s veterans. DUKE Blue Devils A dazzling freshman makes the defending champs even better

hortly after conduct­ schedule ing a practice in late Octo­ Nov. 14 Princeton Sber, sat Nov. 16 Miami (Ohio) courtside in Cameron Indoor Nov. 19 Colgate Stadium and unflinchingly Nov. 22 Marquette* ­answered a presumptive ques­ Nov. 23 Gonzaga or K-State* Nov. 27 at Oregon tion: Is the best Dec. 1 Michigan State freshman point guard you have Dec. 4 Butler† ever recruited to Duke? “Com­ Dec. 8 Bradley Dec. 11 St. Louis ing in, yeah,” Krzyzewski said. Dec. 20 Elon “He has to play really well to Dec. 29 at UNC Greensboro end up being better than Bobby Jan. 2 Miami Hurley, and Jason Williams was Jan. 5 UAB Projected Coach Mike Krzyzewski (31st season) Jan. 9 Maryland more of a scorer when he got 2009–10 record 35–5 ACC 13–3 (T-1st) starting five NCAA tournament National champions Jan. 12 at Florida State here. Maturity­wise, I liken POS. Player Height CLASS KEY STATS Jan. 15 Virginia ­[Irving] to Tommy Amaker.” Jan. 19 at N.C. State Coach K & Co. are expecting PG Kyrie Irving* 6' 2" Fr. 24.5 ppg 6.5 apg Jan. 22 at Wake Forest SG Nolan Smith 6' 2" Sr. 17.4 ppg 3.0 apg Jan. 27 Boston College big things in Durham, and so is SF 6' 8" Sr. 17.7 ppg 7.0 rpg Jan. 30 at St. John’s Sports Illustrated, which Feb. 2 at Maryland PF 6' 10" Soph. 3.7 ppg 3.1 rpg Feb. 5 N.C. State is why the Blue Devils are the F 6' 10" Jr. 5.2 ppg 4.9 rpg Feb. 9 North Carolina magazine’s choice to repeat as key reserve Feb. 13 at Miami NCAA champions in 2011. G 6' 4" Soph. 4.4 ppg 1.1 rpg Feb. 16 at Virginia Though Duke lost three ­senior Feb. 20 Georgia Tech Returning starter *High school stats Feb. 23 Temple starters from last season’s cham­ Feb. 26 at Virginia Tech pionship team, it still has argu­ March 2 Clemson ably the preeminent tandem in March 5 at North Carolina *O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE the country in seniors Kyle Sin­ Classic in Kansas City, Mo. gler, a 6' 8" forward, and 6' 3" All‑Star with the New Orleans just have fun and relax,” Smith †Carquest Auto Parts Classic guard Nolan Smith. They’ll be Hornets. And as he showed says. “I told him he doesn’t have in East Rutherford, N.J. joined by Irving, who is the kind with his 21-point, 10-, any pressure. He has seniors on KEY GAME of dynamic point guard this pro­ five-­ performance in his left and his right in Kyle and The featured game of the gram has not had since Williams Team USA’s gold medal win over myself. We’re his big brothers, Big Ten/ACC Challenge could be left in 2002. Brazil at last summer’s Under-18 and we have his back.” a preview of this year’s national Though he may evoke com­ championships, Irving knows As long as the Blue Devils title game. Beating Duke in parisons from Duke’s past, how to excel on a grand stage. stay healthy and keep their Cameron will be hard, especially if MSU senior point guard Kalin ­Irving’s game more closely This season he has the added focus, it will be up to their Lucas is not fully recovered resembles that of another for­ bonus of playing alongside a freshman prodigy to do what Bo b from his Achilles injury. mer ACC stud—Wake Forest’s veteran cast to help him adjust. point guards do best: deliver. ros a Chris Paul, who is currently an “One thing I told him is to —Seth Davis to

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