Duke Basketball

Duke men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski will not coach Wednesday's game against Boston College, as he remains in COVID-19 contact tracing protocols. 

Krzyzewski was previously slated to miss Saturday's game against Florida State before that contest was postponed amid a positive test and other COVID-19 protocols on the Seminoles team.

Duke has had as many games postponed or canceled as it's played so far this season. The Blue Devils' women's program already canceled the remainder of their 2020-21 campaign amid COVID-19 concerns.

The men's team has not played since a Dec. 16 win over Notre Dame.

Krzyzewski has been one of the most outspoken critics of the college basketball season moving forward, saying last month the NCAA should reassess its plans.

"I would just like for the safety, the mental and physical health of players and staff to assess where we're at," Krzyzewski told reporters.

At the time, Krzyzewski pointed to promising signs with the COVID-19 vaccine as a potential reason to put a temporary pause on the season. However, it's unclear if the slow pace of the vaccine's rollout has changed Krzyzewski's mind regarding the college basketball season, as it's highly unlikely a majority of the population will be vaccinated before the season is completed.

Associate head coach Jon Scheyer will be on the bench Wednesday for Duke, assuming the game against Boston College moves forward as scheduled. 

Saturday's game between Duke and Florida State has been postponed following "a positive test, subsequent quarantining, and contact tracing" within the Seminoles program, the ACC announced Friday night.

Duke previously announced head coach Mike Krzyzewski would miss the game, with associate head coach Jon Scheyer taking over temporarily. The school said Krzyzewski had been "exposed to an individual not in the travel party who tested positive for COVID-19" and was observing "standard quarantine protocol."

His team had already made the trip to Tallahassee, Florida.

The Blue Devils have had five games postponed or canceled already this season. They last played Dec. 16, beating Notre Dame 75-65 in their ACC opener.

Following a loss to Illinois on Dec. 8, Krzyzewski told reporters he thought NCAA decision-makers should "reassess" whether play should continue amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Duke women's basketball team went a step further and announced Dec. 25 it wouldn't be playing the remainder of its schedule.

It's unclear when Krzyzewski will be back on the bench. Duke's next game is Wednesday at home against Boston College.

Scheyer played for Duke for four seasons between 2006 and 2010, helping the Blue Devils win a national championship in 2010. He joined the coaching staff for the 2013-14 season and was promoted to his current role in March 2018.

The Duke women's basketball team will opt out of the remainder of the 2020-21 season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michael Schoenfeld, Duke's vice president for public affairs and government relations and chief communications officer, addressed the decision in a statement on Friday:

"The student-athletes on the Duke women's basketball team have made the difficult decision to conclude their current season due to safety concerns. We support their decision, as we have supported the choices made by all student-athletes at Duke during this unprecedented time. Duke will maintain our current schedule of competition in other sports and will continue to observe our rigorous health and safety protocols, which include daily testing for all student-athletes and are based on guidance from leading medical experts."

The Blue Devils began the season with a 3-1 record but were forced to pause activities Dec. 16 as a result of two positive tests for COVID-19 and contract tracing.

They were scheduled to return to the court Dec. 31 against Louisville.

According to Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press, Duke is the first Power Five school to opt out after starting the season.

Blue Devils coach Kara Lawson had previously criticized the season even taking place, telling reporters earlier this month, "I don't think we should be playing right now. That's my opinion on it."

Lawson is in her first season with the team after working as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics. She also had a 13-year playing career in the WNBA.

Duke men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has also questioned the ongoing season.

"I don't think it feels right to anybody," he said in early December. "I mean everyone is concerned."

The men's team canceled several nonconference games but returned to the court for the start of the ACC season against Notre Dame.

Schoenfeld noted Friday's decision does not affect the men's basketball squad, or any of the school's other teams.

Duke small forward Jalen Johnson will miss Wednesday's game against Notre Dame due to a foot injury.

The school announced he will be out indefinitely.

Johnson has averaged 11.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in four appearances for the 2-2 Blue Devils.

Duke had canceled multiple nonconference games, but it is set to return to the court for an ACC battle against the Fighting Irish. The squad is in need of a win after some disappointing performances but will now be short-handed.

The 6'9", 220-pound forward, who played high school basketball for Nicolet in Milwaukee, was ranked 13th on 247Sports' composite list of the top men's basketball prospects from the class of 2020.

Jerry Meyer, 247Sports' director of basketball scouting, compared Johnson to Washington Wizards forward Troy Brown and called him a future first-round NBA draft prospect when offering this December 2018 scouting report:

"Great size for such a highly skilled player. Smooth athlete. Has the frame to fill out nicely. Room for improvement in foot quickness. Has complete skill set with high basketball IQ and top-notch court vision as a passer. Has high release jumper with range. Loves to go left. Passes well off dribble. Quality rebounder. Can improve as a defender. Tremendous talent with upside. Trending towards lottery-pick status."

Johnson transferred from Nicolet to IMG Academy before his senior season but headed back to his old school before the end of the year. He played nine games, averaging 24.6 points, 10.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per outing. 

He committed to Duke over Kentucky, Arizona and Wisconsin (among other well-regarded programs) after being named Wisconsin's Gatorade Player of the Year during his junior season, when he registered 19.9 points, 11.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. He led Nicolet to the state championship as well.

Without Johnson, Duke could give small forward Wendell Moore Jr. more playing time. The sophomore posted 7.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.9 steals per game last season but has struggled to just 4.8 points per game in 2020-21.

Duke's men's basketball team will only play conference games for the remainder of the season, the team announced on Thursday.

The Blue Devils have one non-conference game remaining on their current slate, a home game against Gardner-Webb on December 19.

"Making sure that we're doing the right thing for our players, just for safety, we're not going to play any non-conference games," head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "We're not going to try to reschedule three games. We're going to play conference and hopefully get to play all of them."

Contests against Charleston Southern, Elon and Gardner-Webb will be scrapped. 

The Blue Devils will begin ACC play December 16 against Notre Dame, then reconvene to face Pitt on December 29.

As The Athletic's Brendan Marks noted, Duke players have been sequestered in a hotel, leaving only to attend class and practice in the basketball facilities. The break in the schedule will allow players to return to their homes for a short break and visit with family. 

Players will be allowed to leave after the Notre Dame game and are expected back on campus by December 23 to go through testing protocols and resume practice. 

"This is the best decision we could make as a program, in making sure that we are doing the right thing for our players," Krzyzewski said. "This will also allow our team to have time over the holidays to safely enjoy with their families. These kids need to be with their families, at least for a little bit. So we will play the Notre Dame game on December 16, and then allow our team four or five days at home before returning here to prepare for the remainder of our ACC schedule—and hopefully get to play all of them. These kids go through so much, and we need to take care of them."

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski is concerned about the NCAA's lack of leadership as the organization attempts to hold a basketball season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to reporters after the Blue Devils' 83-68 loss to Illinois on Tuesday, Krzyzewski explained why playing games now doesn't feel like the right thing to do:

"I don't think it feels right to anybody. I mean, everyone is concerned. 

"We made an assessment. I'm not sure who leads college basketball. It's done by committee. Anything that's led by committee is not agile in handling a situation. There was a consensus. It wasn't like well-planned. Just that we were going to start Nov. 25. That was made without knowing where the vaccine was, how many cases. Basically, it was more a mentality of get as many games in as possible. I would just like for the safety, the mental and physical health of players and staff to assess where we're at."

Krzyzewski had been outspoken about having the NCAA tournament, telling SiriusXM's ESPNU Radio in July:

"We need to have the NCAA tournament, and we need to have some contingency plans based on when the season would start. Everyone says it's going to start on time. We'll see.

"I would like for us to take a great look at contingency plans, you know, when it might also be. Can it be in April? Can it be in May? But we need—and the NCAA needs—[a] men's NCAA tournament. If you don't have it two years in a row, the NCAA, financially, could go in another direction."

Per Kyle Boone and David Cobb of CBS Sports, there have been 50 games canceled or rescheduled since the college basketball season started Nov. 25.

The 2020-21 season was originally supposed to begin Nov. 10, but the NCAA adjusted its schedule for men's and women's basketball, with teams allowed to play a maximum of 27 games. They must play at least 13 games to qualify for the NCAA tournament.

The Duke men's basketball team announced Monday that its season opener against Gardner-Webb has been postponed after the Bulldogs registered a positive COVID-19 test within their program. 

The Blue Devils will instead start their season at home against Coppin State on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET. 

The coronavirus pandemic has also forced major programs like Arizona State, Baylor, Florida and Villanova to either postpone or cancel their season-opening contests, per Myron Medcalf of ESPN. 

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski has been a proponent of only holding a league schedule amid the pandemic. He's also expressed the opinion that the NCAA should consider pushing back the start of the season.

The Blue Devils will open the 2020-21 season ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 8 in the Coaches Poll. They are loaded with upside, with both a mix of young prospects (Jeremy Roach, Jalen Johnson) and returning talents (Joey Baker, Wendell Moore Jr. and Matthew Hurt).

Whether they have enough talent to be a national championship contender remains to be seen. Certainly, they are one of the early favorites to win the ACC. For now, however, the bigger concern remains how to keep players and staff safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski has concerns about the possibility that the NCAA holds the men's basketball tournament in a single location.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Krzyzewski called it a logistical "challenge to get that many teams" in one spot for the event.

On Monday, the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee announced it had begun preliminary talks with the state of Indiana and the city of Indianapolis to host the 68-team event in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. The tourney is scheduled to begin with First Four games March 16 and 17.

Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is already scheduled to host the Final Four in April, making the city a logical choice to host the entire tournament if the committee decides to go that route.

According to ESPN's Myron Medcalf, a Marion County health department official said the NCAA had yet to contact it about potentially holding the event in Indianapolis.

Krzyzewski has been adamant that the men's basketball tournament must be played this season because of the financial risk it would present to the NCAA if it went two straight years without the event.

"We're the thing that the NCAA is most concerned about because men's college basketball and the tournament pays for something like ... it produces 98 percent or more of the money for the NCAA," Krzyzewski told ESPN Radio's Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin in August (h/t Medcalf). "We need to have the tournament. We can't have it where two years in a row you don't have the NCAA tournament."

On Thursday, Krzyzewski said the NCAA can "always keep in mind" pushing the season back if the COVID-19 pandemic gets "worse than what it is."

The 2020-21 men's and women's college basketball seasons are scheduled to begin Nov. 25. Teams can play a maximum of 27 regular-season games, including one multiple-team event.

The men's tournament is scheduled to run from March 16 to April 5. The women's tournament is slated to take place from March 19 to April 4.

Cameron Indoor Stadium won't feel the same during the 2020-21 season after Duke announced fans won't be allowed to attend basketball games because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Duke athletic director Kevin White issued a statement on the school's decision, via ESPN's Myron Medcalf:

"As Duke University continues to be an industry leader per providing a safe environment for intercollegiate athletic competition, the decision to maintain our non-spectator protocol is imperative for the overall health and safety of the Blue Devil fan base, student-athletes, coaches and support staff, notwithstanding the immediate campus population comprised of students, faculty and staff. We will continue to embrace the challenges of this unique if not unprecedented time with flexibility and compliance, and can't begin to thank our dedicated, passionate fans enough for their unbridled support."

In August, the school announced it wouldn't host fans at any sporting events during the fall season. 

Fans have been given the option of filling the stands at Wallace Wade Stadium with cardboard cutouts of themselves for football games. 

The student section at Cameron Indoor Stadium is one of the most raucous and passionate groups in the country. It provides the Blue Devils one of the best home atmospheres in all of college sports. 

White's announcement that fans won't be permitted to attend basketball games comes on the same day that the ACC unveiled its schedule for the 2020-21 season. 

The Blue Devils will open the season Nov. 25 at home against Gardner-Webb. Their first ACC game will be Dec. 16 against Notre Dame.

The ACC released its schedule for the unique and unpredictable 2020-21 men's college basketball season Tuesday, including that of the No. 9 Duke Blue Devils, who finished tied for second in the conference last season. 

Duke, like every ACC team, will have a tough conference slate during the upcoming campaign. Meanwhile, the Blue Devils' nonconference schedule is primarily made up of lower-level opponents, although there are a couple of marquee matchups on tap as well.

Here are predictions for each of Duke's regular-season games during the 2020-21 campaign:

• Nov. 25: vs. Gardner-Webb (W - 1-0)
• Nov. 28: vs. Coppin State (W - 2-0)
• Dec. 1: vs. Michigan State (W - 3-0)
• Dec. 4: vs. Bellarmine (W - 4-0)
• Dec. 6: vs. Elon (W - 5-0)
• Dec. 8: vs. Illinois (L - 5-1)
• Dec. 12: vs. Charleston Southern (W - 6-1)
• Dec. 16: at Notre Dame (W - 7-1)
• Dec. 29/30: vs. Pittsburgh (W - 8-1)
• Jan. 2: at Florida State (W - 9-1)
• Jan. 5/6: vs. Boston College (W - 10-1)
• Jan. 9: vs. Wake Forest (W - 11-1)
• Jan. 12/13: at Virginia Tech (W - 12-1)
• Jan. 19/20: at Pittsburgh (W - 13-1)
• Jan. 23: at Louisville (L - 13-2)
• Jan. 26/27: vs. Georgia Tech (W - 14-2)
• Jan. 30: vs. Clemson (W - 15-2)
• Feb. 1: at Miami (W - 16-2)
• Feb. 6: vs. North Carolina (W - 17-2)
• Feb. 9/10: vs. Notre Dame (W - 18-2)
• Feb. 13: at NC State (W - 19-2)
• Feb. 16/17: at Wake Forest (W - 20-2)
• Feb. 20: vs. Virginia (L - 20-3)
• Feb. 22: vs. Syracuse (W - 21-3)
• Feb. 27: vs. Louisville (W - 22-3)
• March 2/3: at Georgia Tech (W - 23-3)
• March 6: at North Carolina (L - 23-4)
• March 9-13: ACC Tourney

One of the reasons it is difficult to say how head coach Mike Krzyzewski's team will fare in 2020-21 is the fact that many of the Blue Devils' key players will be freshmen.

Per 247Sports, Duke has the No. 3 recruiting class for the upcoming season on the strength of commitments from four 5-star players and two 4-star recruits.

Forward Jalen Johnson is the No. 13 recruit in the nation, followed by guard Jeremy Roach (23), guard DJ Steward (26), center Mark Williams (28), forward Jaemyn Brakefield (41) and forward Henry Coleman (52).

If at least a few of those players make a major impact right out of the gate, Duke will be in business and among the top teams in the country as usual.

Coach K will also need greater contributions from a quartet of returning players since his top three scorers from last season (Vernon Carey Jr., Tre Jones and Cassius Stanley) are all NBA-bound.

Duke's top returning players are forward Matthew Hurt, forward Wendell Moore Jr., forward Joey Baker and guard Jordan Goldwire.

None of the aforementioned players lit it up last season, with none of them averaging more than 9.7 points per game.

One thing Krzyzewski should have to his credit in 2020-21 is depth, which is always huge in the ACC, but especially during a season surrounded by so much uncertainty due to COVID-19.

Duke figures to have some growing pains with such a young team, but all signs point to them being in the mix for another ACC title.