Duke’s 79-73 loss to Michigan State exposed a gap no recruiting class can fill. Against Michigan State, the Blue Devils couldn’t match their opponents’ physicality and couldn’t find a way to turn the game around. For NCAA analyst Rob Dauster, the issue isn’t the talent on John Scheyer’s roster, but the absence of someone willing to take control, a concern shared by one former UNC star.
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“Who was going to grab everybody by the neck, by the shirt, and just say that, ‘We’re going to come win this game, I’m going to drag you to this victory?'” Dauster said during a YouTube video on the Field of 68: After Dark channel.
“It just felt a little bit devoid of leadership watching that game on Tuesday night. And that, to me, it’s not the talent issue. The talent’s there. What happens when they get punched in the mouth? What happens when they’re in close games? Can they respond? Somebody needs to figure out that role.”
His comments came after Duke was beaten by Michigan State in the Champions Classic on November 10, marking their first loss of the season. The No. 2-ranked Blue Devils entered the neutral-site game with considerable expectations, but the No. 5 Spartans controlled most of the contest, showcasing just how difficult it could be for Duke to try to generate offense against a physical team.
The Blue Devils shot 33% from the field and just about 24% from three-point range. Though they cut the deficit to just five late in the game, the comeback failed, and for Dauster, that performance revealed something more concerning than a poor shooting night: the lack of a true leader.
His comments drew an agreement from former UNC star Tyler Hansbrough, who was also present on the show. For Hansbrough, the match provided a good preview of the NCAA Tournament.
“The reason I’m worried is, first of all, this is a neutral site,” Hansbrough noted.
“Also, tournament setting, it’s going to be an ugly team. It’s going to be an ugly game. And Michigan State’s a good gauge to kind of get you a March Madness game… You’re going to have to rely on a leader, and you’re going to have to have a ball handler that’s not going to get shook or rattled in that type of setting. And that’s where I get worried about Duke… You can have all the athleticism and size you have. But when you have young guys, and you’re going against a team that has that knockout power, how are you going to react?”
Some of the uncertainty surrounding Duke’s leadership stems from their shifting roster. The team lost its top two scorers from last season, Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans, to the NBA. While several other contributors returned, John Scheyer has had to integrate new talent into the roster.
Among the key returning players are guard Caleb Foster and forward Patrick Ngongba II, while transfer John Blackwell from Wisconsin brings experience and scoring. Blackwell, who scored 17 against the Spartans, identified himself, Foster, and Ngongba as the players who need to help guide the team.
“It all starts with the leaders, me, Pat, C-Fos. We’ve just got to keep pushing going forward and just keep motivating our guys to get better,” Blackwell said.
His words show that the leadership issue is something that is being addressed within the locker room. And it worked out decently, because Duke responded with a solid 90-47 win over SIU Edwardsville, improving to 3-1. However, a dominant performance against a less challenging opponent doesn’t resolve the concerns exposed by Michigan State.
Only time will tell how John Scheyer’s team can establish their identity, and for now, the biggest question remains: who will emerge as the leader for this Duke team?