Jon Scheyer assesses Duke's improvement on the road this season after win at NC State

Jon Scheyer knows his Duke squad saw some improvements this season on the road. Especially as of late, the Blue Devils showcase toughness going into opposing buildings.

Following a win over NC State, 79-64 on the road, Scheyer’s thesis was proven correct. Now 24-6 before a season finale against North Carolina, Duke is rolling.

That’s toughness personified for the head coach.

“It’s a lot of growth,” Scheyer said postgame. “A lot of toughness. You have to be tough to win on the road. And you know, we lose our first two row games. I don’t know exactly what our record is since then, but I know it’s really good. And I know it’s really good at the end of last year as well. But you know, this group when you gotta go through some stuff, and we have and I didn’t even bring up last year to this team.
“I don’t think I had to/ I think they knew. Maybe in the first two minutes I thought maybe I should because (of the way the game started). But they’re tough, you know, and for the bench, the development of our bench just providing toughness, they’re just really, really good.”

Sure, Duke is an awesome 15-2 at home and just 7-4 on the road, but it seems like Scheyer and crew are peaking at the right time.

In the win over the Wolfpack, Jeremy Roach put up 21 points, four rebounds and two assists to lead the way. Jared McCain added 16 points, five rebounds and one assist.

Sean Stewart and Tyrese Proctor put up 12 and 11 points to round out the Blue Devils in double figures.

“It was a great win for us,” Scheyer said. “And it felt a little bit like deja vu, you know, the first couple of minutes there, the way the game started off, but for us to show … you have to show (toughness) against these guys with a lot of toughness …

“They did a terrific job of handling the pressure … and then our bench, you know, the job that obviously Sean but TJ and Ryan, in that first half, you know, Ryan had four offensive rebounds. TJ had some big time plays, he actually had the one pass to Sean and TJ did without even making shots which I know he’s going to do. And then Sean throughout … he just competed.”