Jon Scheyer praises Duke for response in win over Charlotte

One week after losing to Georgia Tech 72-68 on the road, Duke came out on Saturday amid a two-game losing streak and pummeled Charlotte inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, disposing of the 49ers en route to a 24-point victory.

Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer was complimentary of his team’s performance during the 80-56 victory but was most proud of seeing his team’s resilience in the face of adversity.

“I’m proud of the response that our team had,” Scheyer said postgame. “Our program is about, not necessarily being perfect, but it is about competition. It’s about competing. It’s about responding.

“In the last two games last week, we weren’t good enough; that means all of us coaches, players, that includes everybody, staff. So, for us, this week was about getting back to work, blocking out anything else outside of our locker room, and taking accountability for what we all have to do better.

Freshman guard Jared McCain was the catalyst for Duke’s big night, leading the team with 21 points on the night thanks to three made three-point baskets. Veteran guard Jeremy Roach has been Duke’s most consistent scorer over the past three games. He added 18 points as Scheyer’s main point guard while Tyrese Proctor recovers from injury.

While the stat sheet might look nice in the scoring column for those two — Scheyer couldn’t say enough about his team’s defensive efforts, which resulted in seven steals, two blocks, and under 30 points allowed in each half. His team also outrebounded the 49ers 36-25 and outscored them 17-7 on the fast break.

“The main focus for us was our defense and that is what we talked about,” Scheyer continued. “I know our offense hasn’t been as good, but it is because we are thinking about it too much. So, I love the collective effort on the defensive end, and of course, when you do that, you end up having the most points you’ve scored in the first half all year. Because you’re just sharing and you are focusing on just giving it everything you have. So, I’m proud of the response.”

Next up for Duke is a matchup against Hofstra on Tuesday at home. After that, they’ll have eight days off before hosting No. 6 Baylor, though Scheyer won’t let his team overlook the high-scoring Pride. Tuesday’s tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and will be aired live on ESPN2.