Jon Scheyer analyzes Duke's road struggles

Road games have been a struggle for Duke this season as the Blue Devils have started 0-2 in hostile environments in the first season under head coach Jon Scheyer. The most recent loss was an 84-60 blowout at the hands of North Carolina State.

The game was never close, with the Wolfpack jumping out to a double-digit lead in the opening minutes and Duke taking 7:40 to score any points at all. From here, Scheyer said, it’s up to the team to make the most of these experiences.

“I think it’s hard to have great perspective, right now when you’re in the moment and you’re disappointed, to say the least, with the loss.  But you know it’s a long year — and fortunately I knew this when I took the job — there’s going to be some moments like this where people can doubt you,” Scheyer said. “They can doubt us as a team. And sometimes the best way to learn is to experience and for this group, in particular, to experience this game. To experience playing on the road.”

His point about getting players experience in true road games is critical context. The Blue Devils didn’t play a true road game until a Dec. 20, 2022, loss to Wake Forest. Prior to that, the only games away from Cameron Indoor Stadium were five neutral site games. Duke went 3-2 in those games.

With two conference road losses on the record, Scheyer isn’t writing anything off. He’s planning to use it as fuel to get a young, talented team clicking.

“You wish it was 2-0 on the road and we’re 4-0 in conference, but that’s not how it works. And so for us, it’s all about how you learn from it and how you grow from it. And that’s how I’m going to approach it.”