Duke Concludes Their Non-Conference Slate With Win Over Brown Despite Tre Jones Absence
You never now what an impact one player can make for a team until he is sidelined because of an injury and Duke certainly felt Tre Jones absence in their game against Brown in Durham to closeout their non-conference schedule.
How was his absence felt?
Duke committed 11 turnovers without him running the offense. “according to https://goduke.com/documents/2019/12/28//122819.pdf
Last time Tre Jones was on the court was in Blacksburg when Duke played at Virginia Tech where with Tre Jones on the floor Duke committed just seven turnovers. “according to https://goduke.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2019-20/virginia-tech/boxscore/18930
On the season the sophomore is averaging 15.6 points per game to go along with 3.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game. “according to https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4395626/tre-jones
As for the offense for Duke against Brown,
Vernon Carey Jr. scored 19 points and No. 4 Duke held Brown to a season-low 50 points in a 75-50 win on Saturday. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-no-4-duke-beats-brown-75-50-for-fifth-straight-win.aspx
Alex O'Connell added 14 points and Wendell Moore Jr. had 10 points for the Blue Devils (11-1) in their final nonconference game of the regular season. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-no-4-duke-beats-brown-75-50-for-fifth-straight-win.aspx
Duke took the lead for good with an 11-1 run midway through the first half and pulled away late in the second half with an 18-2 spurt. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-no-4-duke-beats-brown-75-50-for-fifth-straight-win.aspx
The Blue Devils won their fifth consecutive game, all by at least 12 points, since their 150-game home winning streak against nonconference opponents ended against Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 26. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-no-4-duke-beats-brown-75-50-for-fifth-straight-win.aspx
Brandon Anderson scored 16 points to lead Brown in its third consecutive loss. The Bears trailed 35-29 at halftime.”according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-no-4-duke-beats-brown-75-50-for-fifth-straight-win.aspx
While Duke closed out their non-conference slate with a win, Brown suffered their fifth straight loss.
Senior Brandon Anderson (Mahwah, NJ) scored 16 points for the Bears, but #3 Duke's inside game proved to be too much as Blue Devils came away with a 75-50 win over Brown before a raucous crowd of 9,314 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. “according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-3-dukes-second-half-surge-topples-brown-75-50.aspx
"I'm grateful to Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and their administration for allowing us the opportunity to play this game," said Brown head coach Mike Martin. "As a kid playing basketball growing up, this of one of the places you always see on TV and it was a good experience for our team to play in such a storied building. I felt we competed hard and could have played a little better down the stretch." “according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-3-dukes-second-half-surge-topples-brown-75-50.aspx
Brown's defense held the Blue Devils' outside game to just 2-of-16 shooting from beyond the three-point line, including 0-13 in the opening 33 minutes.”according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-3-dukes-second-half-surge-topples-brown-75-50.aspx
"Brown is a veteran team and well prepared, even though they had a long layoff," said Duke coach Krzyzewski. "Mike (Martin) does a really good job. They're coming off a their winningest season ever and they have older guys. They have seniors and two really good guys that could be All-Ivy in Brandon Anderson and Tamenang Choh."“according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-3-dukes-second-half-surge-topples-brown-75-50.aspx
The Bears will look back on missed opportunities, especially from the free throw line where Brown converted 8-of-18 free throws, while Duke made 13-of-16 free throws.
Anderson had nine of his 16 points in the first half, shooting 5-of-15 from the field overall, while handing out three assists. Senior Joshua Howard (Charlotte, NC) had seven points and four rebounds, while senior Zack Hunsaker (North Salt Lake City, UT), sophomore Jaylan Gainey (Greensboro, NC) and sophomore David Mitchell (Roxbury, MA) scored six points each. “according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-3-dukes-second-half-surge-topples-brown-75-50.aspx
Duke's 6-9 center Vernon Carey provided the inside presence for the Blue Devils, scoring 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field, while grabbing six rebounds. Alex O'Connell had 14 points, including both of Dukes treys, and Wendell Moore added 10 points and seven rebounds.”according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-3-dukes-second-half-surge-topples-brown-75-50.aspx
After a slow start, Brown tied the game, 12-12, on a 3-point basket by Mitchell, with 11:26 left in the half. The Bears took their first lead, 14-12, on a Matt DeWolf layup with 10:50 left, and went up, 17-14, on a trey by Anderson at the 10:20 mark.”according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-3-dukes-second-half-surge-topples-brown-75-50.aspx
The Blue Devils' grabbed their biggest lead of the half, 35-24, with 1:41 left, on a layup by Carey, capping an 18-10 run. Two free throws by Hunsaker and a trey by Anderson cut Duke's lead to 35-29 at the half. “according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-3-dukes-second-half-surge-topples-brown-75-50.aspx
Duke had the better of play in the second half and led by nine points, 55-46, with 9:14 remaining. The Blue Devils held the Bears to six points for the remainder of the game to cruise to the win. “according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-3-dukes-second-half-surge-topples-brown-75-50.aspx
Notes: Sophomore center Jaylan Gainey scored Brown's opening six points…Hunsaker connected on 3-of-3 free throws and has a streak of 23 consecutive free throws made dating back to Brown's second game of the season… Junior Tamenang Choh led the Bears with seven rebounds.”according to https://brownbears.com/news/2019/12/28/mens-basketball-3-dukes-second-half-surge-topples-brown-75-50.aspx
Duke returns to action on Tuesday night when they host Boston College. Hopefully Tre Jones will be running the offense for Duke.
This is what Mike Krzyzewski had to say about the status of his sophomore starting point guard.
We think Tre is definitely going to play against Boston College. It's just been precautionary -- he's much better. I almost told him to suit up at halftime."according to https://twitter.com/DukeMBB/status/1211024583060406273