RJ Barrett on Duke Road Win vs. UVA: 'We Wear Black Because It's Their Funeral'
Feb 9, 2019
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - FEBRUARY 09: RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils shoots over Kyle Guy #5 of the Virginia Cavaliers in the first half during a game at John Paul Jones Arena on February 9, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
Duke freshman forward RJ Barrett scored 26 points to lead the No. 2 Blue Devils to an 81-71 win at No. 3 Virginia on Saturday.
The Blue Devils stayed undefeated on the road, with their only losses coming at a neutral site against Gonzaga and at home versus Syracuse.
After the game, Barrett explained the Blue Devils' road mentality:
Barrett hit his first five three-pointers en route to Duke's big win. The Cavaliers have had little answer for the 18-year-old, whom Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report placed third in his most recent NBA mock draft. Barrett scored 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting in a 72-70 win over UVA in January, which helped give the Hoos their only other defeat.
The Blue Devils' road success, especially for a young team with freshman stars, is a good sign for their postseason potential. Duke doesn't shrink when the spotlight shines or when the opposing crowd is hot, like the John Paul Jones Arena fans were on Saturday. Of note, Barrett had 12 points in the first nine minutes to help set the tone for a wire-to-wire victory.
Ultimately, Barrett's in a good spot right now to be making comments like this one. The Blue Devils look very tough to beat with freshman guard Tre Jones back in the mix, to the point where the team can conceivably run the table no matter where they go.
Justin Fairfax Accuser Alleges 1999 Rape by Unnamed Duke Basketball Player
Feb 9, 2019
LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 21: The Duke Blue Devils logo on a pair of shorts during the finals of the Maui Invitational college basketball game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 21, 2018 in Lahaina Hawaii. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
A woman who alleged Virginia lieutenant governor Justin Fairfax sexually assaulted her in 2000 while the pair were attending Duke said an unnamed basketball player for the school raped her in 1999.
Per USA Today's A.J. Perez on Saturday, the attorney for Meredith Watson issued a statement on her client's behalf after Fairfax said Watson had been the victim of a previous rape in 1999 by a player for Duke's basketball team:
"That is true. Ms. Watson was raped by a basketball player during her sophomore year at Duke. She went to the Dean, who provided no help and discouraged her from pursuing the claim further. Ms. Watson also told friends, including Justin Fairfax. Mr. Fairfax then used this prior assault against Ms. Watson, as he explained to her during the only encounter she had with him after the rape.
"She left a campus party when he arrived, and he followed her out. She turned and asked, 'Why did you do it?' Mr. Fairfax answered: 'I knew that because of what happened to you last year, you'd be too afraid to say anything.'"
A spokesperson for Duke University told Perez the school is "looking into" the allegation in a statement relayed by CBS Sports' Matt Norlander:
Duke just handed out this statement to the media regarding allegations that surfaced late Friday. pic.twitter.com/nZjcYtyFvv
Watson and Vanessa Tyson have accused Fairfax of sexually assaulting them in 2000 and 2004, respectively.
A Friday statement from the Smith Mullin law firm, which is representing Watson, read:
"We serve as counsel for Meredith Watson, who was raped by Justin Fairfax in 2000, while they were both students at Duke University. Mr. Fairfax's attack was premeditated and aggressive. The two were friends but never dated or had any romantic relationship.
"Ms. Watson shared her account of the rape with friends in a series of emails and Facebook messages that are now in our possession. Additionally, we have statements from former classmates corroborating that Ms. Watson immediately told friends that Mr. Fairfax had raped her."
Fairfax has denied assaulting either woman.
Duke, Tennessee Lead Top 16 Seeds in 2019 NCAA Tournament Bracket Preview
Feb 9, 2019
Duke's Zion Williamson (1) brings the ball up court against Wake Forest during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Winston-Salem, N.C., Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Duke, Tennessee, Virginia and Gonzaga were revealed as the No. 1 seeds during Saturday's NCAA March Madness Bracket Preview on CBS.
For the third consecutive year, the NCAA men's basketball tournament selection committee provided an early look at the top 16 seeds in advance of March Madness.
Here is a look at the selection committee's take on the top four seeds in each of the four regions if the 2018-19 college basketball season ended Saturday:
Duke, which has been a No. 1 seed on 13 occasions, was somewhat surprisingly selected as the No. 1 overall seed in the East region.
The 20-2 Blue Devils have lost to only Gonzaga and Syracuse, and they hold quality wins over Kentucky and Virginia.
Duke is led by a bevy of freshman talent, including Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett, who could be the top two picks in the 2019 NBA draft.
Tennessee has been the best and most surprising team in college basketball so far, but it was chosen as the second No. 1 seed in the South region.
The Volunteers own a 21-1 record with their only loss coming to Kansas.
Led by national player of the year candidate Grant Williams, Tennessee may be poised to end Kentucky's recent run of dominance in the SEC. The Wildcats have won each of the past four conference tournaments.
Tennessee has never been a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
Virginia (20-1) has been a No. 1 seed six times, including last season when it lost to Maryland-Baltimore County in the first round, making it the first No. 1 seed in NCAA tournament history to lose to a No. 16.
Virginia's only loss came at Duke in January, which earned it a No. 1 seed in the Midwest region.
The Cavaliers' shot at revenge will come Saturday when they host the Blue Devils in a rematch that could cause an immediate shake-up of the selection committee's seedings.
Despite its status as a perennial contender, Gonzaga has been a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament only twice.
As a No. 1 seed two years ago, the Bulldogs made it all the way to the national title game before they lost to North Carolina.
Gonzaga is 22-2 with losses to Tennessee and North Carolina. It has some big wins on its resume, though, including Duke and Washington, along with a pair of victories over San Francisco, which netted it the projected No. 1 seed in the West region.
The Zags are a deep and talented team, but forward Rui Hachimura is the clear go-to guy who will likely have a big hand in how far Gonzaga goes this season.
NCAA March Madness tweeted the following graphic showing how much the seedings changed from February to March of last year:
Notably, Nevada was a No. 4 seed on Saturday's special despite the fact the Wolf Pack have just one loss and are ranked sixth in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.
On the telecast, it was mentioned that Villanova, Virginia Tech and Texas Tech were among the teams that narrowly missed out on a top-16 seed.
The 2019 NCAA tournament bracket will be revealed in five weeks on Selection Sunday, March 17.
Zion Williamson Dominates with 29 Points as RJ Barrett, Duke Rout St. John's
Feb 2, 2019
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 02: Cam Reddish #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after a three-poit basket against the St. John's Red Storm during the first half of their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 02, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Taking a brief hiatus from ACC play, the No. 2 Duke Blue Devils added another signature victory to their resume by routing the St. John's Red Storm 91-61Saturday.
At this point last season, Duke was in the midst of its most difficult stretch with three losses in four games. One of those defeats came at the hands of St. John's for the Red Storm to end an 11-game losing streak.
Zion Williamson was virtually unstoppable with 29 points on 13-of-17 shooting, six rebounds and tied his season high with five steals. RJ Barrett recorded his fourth double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds.
Cam Reddish had his best scoring day since Jan. 12 with 16 points by going 4-of-10 from three-point range.
Zion Williamson Having Perfect Audition for NBA Draft
Barring something unforeseen happening, it would be an upset if Williamson wasn't taken first in the 2019 NBA draft.
Despite being as close to a lock for that top pick as a college player can be at this point in the process, Williamson is still improving.
The first of these two highlights against St. John's shows his ball-handling prowess:
The bigger story for Williamson is how he's gotten comfortable shooting the ball away from the basket. He made a three-pointer midway through the first half when St. John's left him alone behind the line.
Zion’s handle is SO much better than I gave him credit for in high school/AAU. May be because he worked on it and it improved significantly, or it’s possible didn’t notice because of the insane athleticism.
Williamson has now made at least one three-pointer in eight of Duke's past 11 games(10-of-27 overall). B/R'sJonathan Wasserman noted how the Blue Devils star's ball-handling and shooting ability is progressing as this season has gone on:
"Converting 28.9 percent of his jump shots and 67.5 percent of his free throws, Williamson is far from a shooter, and the eye test suggests even those made threes could be fluky. Some of his misses have been way short or off.
"But compared to the other bigs outside of [Deandre] Ayton, Williamson is making more jump shots in college. And except for Simmons, we've seen [Karl-Anthony] Towns, [Joel] Embiid, [Blake] Griffin and [Anthony] Davis at least add mid-range shooting to their repertoires as pros.
"Williamson is also receiving more than three times as many spot-up possessions per game as [Ben] Simmons, Griffin, Towns, Embiid, Ayton and Davis did."
Simmons is a good comparison point for Williamson as a shooter. The Philadelphia 76ers star has never looked comfortable attempting jump shots, let alone making them a consistent part of his gamedespite urgingfrom his teammates.
Williamson still has plenty of work to do before an NBA team should trust him to play away from the basket, but the fact that he's taking more and making some right now is a great sign that his ceiling could continue to get higher.
Tre Jones' Impact Extends the Beyond Box Score
In three games since returning from a shoulder injury, Tre Jones' stat line doesn't immediately stand out. The freshman has combined for 28 points, 16 assists and 13 rebounds, while shooting 54.5 percent from the field.
Saturday's game against St. John's was a perfect example of how Jones has become underrated because of the talent around him and his ability to change a game on defense.
Shamorie Ponds is St. John's best offensive player. The junior guard entered Saturday averaging 20.9 points per game on 49.3 percent shooting. The Red Storm needed him to to play like a superstar to have a chance at beating the Blue Devils.
With Jones serving as the primary defender against Ponds, the St. John's star went scoreless in the first half on five attempts and committed five turnovers. He was able to score 11points in the second half after Duke blew the game wide-open.
While there's context to everything and absolutely needs to be acknowledged how St. John's offense (especially the high screen) has changed without Clark...
The on-ball and off-ball defense Tre Jones is playing on Shamorie Ponds in the 1st half is legit nuts.
Tre Jones with an elite individual defensive performance in that first half. Held Shamorie Ponds, one of the premier ISO scorers in the country, to zero points and five turnovers (did have four assists). Jones had two steals, limited Ponds' clear drives to the rim. Just terrific.
It's easy to get swept up in the majesty of head coach Mike Krzyzewski's offense. Williamson, Barrett and Reddish are as good as any scoring trio in the country. Their 60combined points nearly matched St. John's entire offensive output.
What makes the Blue Devils more than just an exciting novelty act is their ability on defense. They entered Saturday ranked fourth in the nation in defensive efficiency with 85.9 points allowed per 100 possessions, perTeamRankings.com.
Jones is Duke's leader on defense and has proved capable of shutting down some of the best scorers in the country.
If Duke goes on to win a national championship, Jones' contribution on the defensive end shouldn't be overlooked.
What's Next?
St. John's will end its three-game road trip Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET against No. 10 Marquette. Duke will return to ACC play Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET when Boston College comes to town.
Duke's Zion Williamson Talks NBA Fans Recruiting Him, Says He'll Play Anywhere
Jan 29, 2019
Duke Blue Devils star Zion Williamson isn't playing favorites when it comes to his landing spot in the 2019 NBA draft, assuming he forgoes his final three years of eligibility.
Williamson told reporters some of his classmates at Duke have made pitches for their favorite teams but that he'll be happy anywhere in the league, per WGN TV News:
The freshman forward is widely regarded as the best player in the 2019 draft class. He's averaging 21.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks and is on a different level physically from everybody else in college.
"An elite finisher, Williamson is also one of the most effective post scorers in the country, able to drop-step and explode upward with speed and force defenders can't contain," Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman wrote of Williamson in his most recent big board. "He's also been highly efficient facing up from distance, blowing by defenders off crossovers and in-and-out dribbles and reaching his launching pad in the lane."
Williamson's big season is both a blessing and a curse. He's positioned himself as the presumptive No. 1 overall pick, which is a high honor. However, that opens the door for him to join the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls or New York Knicks, all of whom are years away from playoff contention.
Wherever he goes, Williamson will be the face of a significant rebuild.
Zion Williamson Close to Perfect as RJ Barrett, No. 2 Duke Destroy Notre Dame
Jan 28, 2019
Duke's Zion Williamson (1) is defended by Notre Dame's Dane Goodwin (23) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Robert Franklin)
No. 2 Duke handed Notre Dame its fifth straight loss with an 83-61 win Monday at Purcell Pavilion.
Zion Williamson had 26 points on 10-of-12 from the field with nine rebounds to lead the Blue Devils, which went up 17-2 and never let the score get to single digits the rest of the game.
RJ Barrett added 17 points and nine boards in a dominant effort on the road for Duke, which held its opponent to 34.8 percent shooting in the game. It was enough to improve to 18-2 on the season, including 7-1 in the ACC.
The Fighting Irish got 14 points and 11 rebounds from John Mooney, but they are reeling with a 1-7 conference record and 11-10 overall. After a blowout loss to No. 3 Virginia on Saturday, they have lost their last two games by a combined 49 points.
Zion's Expanded Skill Set More Impressive Than His Dunks
It was the dunks that got Williamson onto the national stage. It's the rest of his game that will make him the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.
The freshman has been on a tear lately with his 26-point effort representing the fifth straight game he reached at least 20 points.
Of course, the way he put up his numbers was just as notable as he prepares for the next level. He made several jump shots in the game, including a three-pointer from the top of the key.
While his outside shooting has been a major question mark, it's not as bad as some might think:
Y’all can say we overhype Zion all you want. But a 6-7, 285-pound teenager just guarded three players, from PG to PF, on the same possession and essentially swallowed an entire offense. We’ve never seen a player like this.
He had four blocks Monday and entered the day averaging an incredible 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks per game, but his versatility and effort on that end are just as encouraging for scouts.
The opponent was weak, but Williamson showed why he is a star in the making against Notre Dame.
Asking ESPN now to bump down the Super Bowl media day package and Anthony Davis. Lead with the Zion highlights tonight. He's been ridiculous, even by his normal standards.
If the Blue Devils weren't already must-see television, they certainly are now.
Duke's Ability to Torch a Zone Defense Should Scare Future Opponents
Few players in college basketball can guard Williamson or Barrett one-on-one, and with both of them on the court at once, Duke is nearly impossible to stop. Leaving Cam Reddish or Tre Jones open also isn't the best strategy.
Even Virginia and its pack-line defense couldn't slow down the Blue Devils.
This means the best defense against the Blue Devils is clearly a zone, which could keep their best scorers out of the lane and force them to make shots from beyond the arc.
Unfortunately for Notre Dame, this strategy didn't work on Monday.
Even while playing much of the night in a 2-3 zone, Duke moved the ball well and found open shots all over the floor. Most importantly, the team made those looks while shooting 54.2 percent from the field and 10-of-19 from three-point range.
This was a big change after the team entered the day shooting just 30.2 percent from deep, including 26.3 percent in ACC games.
While the lights-out shooting won't be there every night, the movement and passing we saw against the Irish can remain consistent every time. It's a young team that is learning and improving every week.
Teams with more length than Notre Dame could cause more problems, but this performance against a zone shows there aren't many good options against this loaded roster.
What's Next?
Duke will go out of the conference in its next game with a home matchup against St. John's on Saturday. Notre Dame will travel to face Boston College.
Zion Williamson Drops 22, RJ Barrett Adds 24 as Duke Defeats Georgia Tech
Jan 26, 2019
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 14: RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils moves the ball against the Syracuse Orange during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 14, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. Syracuse won 95-91 in overtime. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
The No. 2 Duke Blue Devils continue to roll at Cameron Indoor Stadium, overcoming a slow start to earn a 66-53victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday.
Home has been kind to Duke so far this season, as the Blue Devils have gone 10-1 in their first 11 games in front of the Cameron Crazies. They've also won 12 straight games against their ACC rivals dating back to the 2009-10 season.
RJ Barrett posted his second double-double in the past four games with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Zion Williamson was the only other Duke player to reach double figures in scoring, dropping 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting.
One-Dimensional Offense Limits Duke's Potential
The Achilles heel for Duke all season has been three-point shooting. The Blue Devils entered Saturdaytied for 306thin the nation with a 31.2 percent success rate behind the arc.
Duke is 1-of-12 from 3 tonight.
Duke has shot 458 3s this season, 4th-most in the ACC.
Duke has made 30.57% of its 3s this season, 15th in the ACC.
Only 5 teams - Sav St, Coppin St, Mt St Marys, UT-Arlington & Stetson - have shot more 3s while hitting a lower % than Duke.
It's been easy for head coach Mike Krzyzewski's team to get away with it to this point because they've been so good in other areas. They are thefourth-bestrebounding team (43.2 per game) with a defense that ranks fifthin efficiency.
Duke's limited shooting ability once again reared its ugly head early against Georgia Tech. Barrett and Cam Reddish have endured extended cold spells, going 13-of-54 collectively from three against Syracuse, Virginia, Pitt and the first half against Georgia Tech.
Neither player worked their way out of those struggles on Saturday, but Barrett finally stopped trying to shoot away from the basket. He scored 14points in the second half without taking a three-pointer.
Reddish's struggles have been an ongoing story all season. The freshman forward entered Saturday's game with the worst shooting percentage on the roster among players in Krzyzewski's regular rotation (36.4). That number will go down after Georgia Tech held him to 1-of-11 shooting.
Despite these problems, Duke was able to do what it's done so often this season. After falling behind by seven points four minutes into the second half, the Blue Devils needed four minutes to go up by six after a 13-0 run.
Williamson remains the stable rock on both sides of the ball. His presence in the paint as a rebounder and defender gives Reddish and Barrett some freedom to shoot their way out of a slump.
Duke did get Tre Jones back after he missed the previous two games with a shoulder injury. He was still limited, scoring just sixpoints on 3-of-7 with four assists and four rebounds.
The Blue Devils are so balanced on both sides of the ball that they don't need to be a great shooting team to win games. But when they go against better opponents in the NCAA tournament, they could need someone to make a big three-pointer.
Right now, they don't have that player. Barrett, Reddish and Jones have to find their groove over the next six weeks to ensure Duke's dream season ends with a championship.
Resilient Georgia Tech Showcases Depth in Loaded ACC
Despite what the final score would indicate, Georgia Tech threw everything it could at Duke for most of the game.
The Yellow Jackets had their chance to score a knockout blow after taking a 38-31 lead on Abdoulaye Gueye's layup with 15:45 remaining in the second half. They got the ball right back after Reddish missed a layup, but a Michael Devoe turnover seemed to wake up the sleeping giant.
Duke closed the game on a 35-15 run to secure its sixth conference win in seven games.
Georgia Tech's performance illustrated how good the ACC is this season. On the surface, the team's 11-9 record doesn't stand out in a conference with six ranked teams and an unranked Syracuse squad that is 14-5 overall and has a win over Duke.
On closer inspection, though, head coach Josh Pastner has his team heading in the right direction after winning only 13 games last season.
The Yellow Jackets kept up with top-ranked Tennessee in the first half of their Nov. 13 game before falling by the same 66-53 score. They held a 16-point lead over St. John's in a 76-73 loss and were tied late in the second half against No. 10 Virginia Tech on Jan. 9.
Duke can survive a poor game against Georgia Tech because the talent gap is significant, but the Yellow Jackets are also good enough to highlight the weaknesses of a great opponent in a way that a more talented group can exploit down the line.
Once Pastner gets underclassmen like Devoe, Jose Alvarado and Curtis Haywood II accustomed to playing in the spotlight against an opponent like Duke, they will be able to close out games like Saturday's and become an NCAA tournament team in the near future.
What's Next?
Georgia Tech will face No. 11 North Carolina on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET. Duke, meanwhile, will take on Notre Dame on Monday at 7 p.m. ET.
Zion Williamson on Jay Z Attending Duke vs. Pittsburgh: 'A Dream Come True'
Jan 23, 2019
Duke superstar freshman Zion Williamson was thrilled to see Jay Z in attendance during the Blue Devils' 79-64 road win over the Pittsburgh Panthers on Tuesday.
According to ESPN.com, Williamson gushed about the musical megastar, saying: "That was like a dream come true. To me, he's the GOAT."
Williamson said that seeing Jay Z caught his attention: "When he walks in, with his squad, you look over and you're like, 'Oh my God, that's him.'"
Even so, Williamson didn't show any sign of nerves with one of his idols in attendance.
The future NBA lottery pick finished Tuesday's contest with 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. He went 11-of-13 from the field, which included hitting each of his first 10 shots.
With the win, the No. 2 Blue Devils improved to 16-2 overall and 5-1 in ACC play.
Meanwhile, Williamson further strengthened his case to potentially be named the national player of the year with another dominant performance.
Zion Williamson Won't End Duke Career Early: I'd Be Letting a Lot of People Down
Jan 20, 2019
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 14: Zion Williamson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after making a three-point shot against the Syracuse Orange during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 14, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. Syracuse won 95-91 in overtime. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Despite some speculation that Zion Williamson should end his college career early and focus on the NBA, the Duke star plans to finish the season.
"I can't just stop playing," the freshman said Saturday, per Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports. "I'd be letting my teammates down. I'd be letting Coach K down. I'd be letting a lot of people down."
This comes after NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen said on ESPN last week that he would "shut it down" if he were Williamson.
"I think he's done enough for college basketball, that it's more about him personally now," Pippen said Tuesday on ESPN'sThe Jump. "I think for him as a young player (pauses), I would shut it down. I would stop playing, because I feel that he could risk a major injury that could really hurt his career."
However, Williamson doesn't think the same way, as he intends to finish out his freshman year at Duke.
"If I was going to sit out, Iwouldn't have gone to college," he explained. "I'm thankful that Coach K gave me the opportunity."
Of course, his first collegiate season has helped him tremendously.
While he was known as an athletic marvel, questions about Williamson's all-around ability and future position made him just the No. 5 recruit in the 2018 recruiting class in the 247Sportscomposite rankings. However, he is averaging 21.5 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game while seemingly surpassing everyone else in the draft class.
According to Bleacher Report'sJonathanWasserman, the forward is the No. 1 prospect for the 2019 NBA draft.
Although he can now likely sit out the rest of the year and maintain his status on top of the draft, Williamson doesn't appear willing to consider this strategy.
Zion Williamson Says Duke's Win over Virginia Was 'All For' Injured Tre Jones
Jan 19, 2019
Duke's Tre Jones watches from the sidelines during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Virginia in Durham, N.C., Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. Duke won 72-70. Jones is recovering from an injury. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Duke freshman Tre Jones could only sit and watch as his Blue Devils took on the previously undefeated Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday, but the injured guard was still an influential figure in the victory.
After Duke handed Virginia its first loss of the season, freshman phenom Zion Williamson revealed the team wanted to win the game for Jones.
"Our game plan was to come out here and play hard, move the ball, and that game was for Tre," Zion Williamson said after the 72-70 victory, per ESPN.com's David M. Hale. "Tre was our leader, he was out. You know we did it all for Tre."
Jones suffered an AC joint separation in Monday's overtime loss to Syracuse. Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski told The Athletic's Dana O'Neil on Thursday that the injury was not expected to be a long-term issue and that he hadn't ruled out Jones playing against the Cavaliers.
Coach K admitted on Saturday that Jones was ruled out on Friday because he "just doesn't have enough movement yet."
An official timetable has yet to be announced for Jones' return as he continues rehabbing the injury. And while he can't physically help his team on the court while he's out, it's clear his presence is still felt by the Blue Devils.
