Tre Jones To Return As Duke Host Brown To Closeout Their Non-Conference Slate?

Last time out Tre Jones didn’t run the point for Duke against Wofford. Instead it was Jordan Goldwire.

Why?

Jones suffered a mild sprain in his left foot) in practice and he is day-to-day as he recovers," the release said. “according to https://247sports.com/college/duke/Article/tre-jones-foot-injury-duke-blue-devils-mild-sprain-140898142/

After the game Mike Krzyzewski said this about Tre Jones.

if this was an ACC game, would've played," Krzyzewski said. "He's got a real slight sprain. It's better with this break just to get well. He'll be back and he'll play right away “according to https://247sports.com/college/duke/Article/tre-jones-foot-injury-duke-blue-devils-mild-sprain-140898142/

On Saturday morning when fourth ranked Duke returns to action as they closeout their non -conference schedule against Brown in Durham could we see Tre Jones return to the court?

Earlier in the week Stephen Wiseman who writes for the News & Observer as well as the herald sun had this to say about Tre Jones injury.

Everything points toward Tre Jones being ready to play when Duke returns to game action on Dec. 28 against Brown. Coach K said had tonight been an ACC game, he would have played. “according to https://twitter.com/stevewisemanNC

But it turns out he will miss his second straight game when Duke host Brown to closeout their non-conference slate which means Jordan Goldwire will take over the point guard duties for Duke while Tre Jones continues to recover from a mild left foot sprain. “according to https://twitter.com/DukeMBB/status/1210926211276451840

Duke who is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference comes into the game with a record of 10-1 while Brown who is a member of the Ivy League comes into the game with a record of 5-5.

As for Duke’s previous game,

- Joey Baker had career highs of 22 points and five 3-pointers to help fourth-ranked Duke beat Wofford 86-57 on Thursday night. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/12/19/mens-basketball-bakers-career-night-leads-no-4-duke-past-wofford-86-57.aspx

The 6-foot-7 sophomore hit all of his 3s after halftime while the hot-shooting Blue Devils stretched their lead. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/12/19/mens-basketball-bakers-career-night-leads-no-4-duke-past-wofford-86-57.aspx

As for other players who contributed for Duke,

. Freshman Vernon Carey Jr. added 20 points and 10 rebounds for Duke (10-1), which shot 54% in its return from a nearly two-week pause in the schedule. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/12/19/mens-basketball-bakers-career-night-leads-no-4-duke-past-wofford-86-57.aspx

The 6-10 Carey scored over defenders and off the glass, and Baker got hot after a five-point first half. Baker's night was highlighted by two 3-pointers to give Duke a 52-30 lead with 14:17 left that led the Terriers to call a timeout in a game that had already gotten away. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/12/19/mens-basketball-bakers-career-night-leads-no-4-duke-past-wofford-86-57.aspx

Wofford may have won days earlier in Chapel Hill at Duke’s tobacco road rival North Carolina who was without starting point guard  Cole Anthony who is  out 4-6 weeks after undergoing surgery for a torn meniscus in his  right knee “according tohttps://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2019/12/17/north-carolinas-cole-anthony-knee-injury-needed-surgery/ but they were denied at Duke who was also without their point guard Tre Jones  who sat out with a foot injury.  “according to https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2852426-dukes-tre-jones-out-vs-wofford-with-minor-foot-injury

The Wofford men's basketball team visited No. 4 Duke on Thursday night, falling to the Blue Devils 86-57 in Cameron Indoor Stadium. “according to https://woffordterriers.com/news/2019/12/19/mens-basketball-wofford-falls-at-no-4-duke.aspx

The Terriers shot it well from behind-the-arc, going 10-for-24 (41.7 percent) while shooting 35.5 percent from the floor overall. Wofford had just five free-throw attempts compared to Duke's 18, getting 32 points from its bench. The Blue Devils shot 54.2 percent from the floor, and 40 percent from 3-point range, scoring 47 points in the second half. “according to https://woffordterriers.com/news/2019/12/19/mens-basketball-wofford-falls-at-no-4-duke.aspx

Tray Hollowell tied his career-high with 17 points in the game, going 5-for-9 from 3-point range. Storm Murphy totaled eight points on the night, while Chevez Goodwin scored six and grabbed eight rebounds in 17 minutes of play. “according to https://woffordterriers.com/news/2019/12/19/mens-basketball-wofford-falls-at-no-4-duke.aspx

The sides traded buckets to start, with Stumpe knocking down a three to put Wofford ahead by four. Goodwin scored a hook shot down low and Jones finished at the rim to keep the Terriers in front by one (11-10). After Duke jumped ahead, Donovan Theme-Love found Jones and Hollowell scored a layup to keep Wofford within one. “according to https://woffordterriers.com/news/2019/12/19/mens-basketball-wofford-falls-at-no-4-duke.aspx

"I love our team," McAuley said. "Playing on this stage against these type of players, if we can bottle up those first eight minutes and expand on it moving forward, I'll be happy." “according to https://woffordterriers.com/news/2019/12/19/mens-basketball-wofford-falls-at-no-4-duke.aspx

The Blue Devils responded with a 10-0 run, before Goodwin scored a tip-in to break the drought at the 7:11 mark. Isaiah Bigelow knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to eight with just over five to play in the first, but Duke scored 11 of the next 14 points to take a 39-23 lead, before Hollowell hit a buzzer-beating three to send the teams into the break.  “according to https://woffordterriers.com/news/2019/12/19/mens-basketball-wofford-falls-at-no-4-duke.aspx

Unlike Duke,

Brown who is a member of the Ivy League didn’t win their previous game as they lost to St. John’s.

Brown's Brandon Anderson (Mahwah, NJ) scored a game high 25 points, but St. John's withstood a furious second half comeback bid by the Bears to earn an 82-71 win Tuesday evening at Carnesecca Arena.”according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/10/mens-basketball-st-johns-holds-off-brown-82-71-despite-brandon-andersons-25-points.aspx
 
"In the second half our shots went in and we had St. John's right where we wanted them - down four points with under eight minutes remaining," said Brown head coach Mike Martin. "St. John's is a good team.  I can't fault our effort at all." “according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/10/mens-basketball-st-johns-holds-off-brown-82-71-despite-brandon-andersons-25-points.aspx
 
Brown trailed St. John's by four points with 7:55 remaining, 64-60, on an Anderson trey. The Bears had several chances to cut the lead to two points, but the Red Storm responded with a late run to hold off the Bears. Red Storm guard LJ Figueroa scored nine of his 23 points in the final 6:30 of the game.”according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/10/mens-basketball-st-johns-holds-off-brown-82-71-despite-brandon-andersons-25-points.aspx
 
Anderson's 25 points came on 10-of-24 shooting from the field.  He moved into 20thplace on Brown's all-time scoring list with 1,151 points, rushing past Russ Tyler (1,133 points from 1968-71), Matt Mullery (1,134 points from 2006-10) and Lou Mergo (1,147 points from 1951-55). “according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/10/mens-basketball-st-johns-holds-off-brown-82-71-despite-brandon-andersons-25-points.aspx
 
Brown senior Joshua Howard (Charlotte, NC) scored 15 points and pulled down seven rebounds, and junior Tamenang Choh (Lowell, MA) posted a double-double for the Bears with 10 points and 11 rebounds, while handing out six assists.”according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/10/mens-basketball-st-johns-holds-off-brown-82-71-despite-brandon-andersons-25-points.aspx
 
Figueroa paced the Red Storm with 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field.  Mustapha Heron finished with 21 points, and Rasheem Dunn chipped in with 12 points and six assists.”according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/10/mens-basketball-st-johns-holds-off-brown-82-71-despite-brandon-andersons-25-points.aspx
 
St. John's, coming off a win over previously unbeaten West Virginia, never trailed in the game, opening up a 24-9 lead with nine minutes left in the opening 20 minutes. The game settled down and St. John's held a 41-24 lead at the half.  Howard and Anderson had seven points each for the Bears, while Figueroa had 10 first half points for the Red Storm. “according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/10/mens-basketball-st-johns-holds-off-brown-82-71-despite-brandon-andersons-25-points.aspx
 
The Bears came storming out of the locker room and cut the St. John's lead to 45-35, following a 3-point corner basket from Howard. A trey by Perry Cowan (Chicago, IL) cut the Red Storm advantage to seven points, 58-51, with 12:02 left in the game. “according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/10/mens-basketball-st-johns-holds-off-brown-82-71-despite-brandon-andersons-25-points.aspx
 
Brown crept even closer, trailing 60-54 on an Anderson pull-up jumper with 11:08 remaining. “according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/10/mens-basketball-st-johns-holds-off-brown-82-71-despite-brandon-andersons-25-points.aspx
 
Anderson's trey with 7:55 remaining cut the Red Storm lead to four points, 64-60. St. John's answered with six straight points to take control and build a 70-60 lead.”according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/10/mens-basketball-st-johns-holds-off-brown-82-71-despite-brandon-andersons-25-points.aspx

Tip-off is set for 11:30am from Cameron Indoor Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN2.