Duke Basketball Roundup

Emergency podcast time! The sports media world let out a collective "ophmygoddidyouseethat!??!" today with the release of some inside details on Ian O'Connor's biography on Coach K. The headline-maker from the book is the allegation that Duke wanted to hire Tommy Amaker to be Duke's next head coach, but the Coach K squashed that and arranged for Jon Scheyer to get the job instead. Jason, Donald, and Sam break down everything we know about the book so far and what these (somewhat) scandalous allegations mean for K and Scheyer moving forward. Plus, after the break, the DBR podcast crew gives you a sneak peak at next season's schedule with word that Duke will be participating in a special tournament sponsored by Nike next Thanksgiving. And, we take a quick trip down memory lane to relive perhaps the greatest slamdunk in Duke basketball history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the DBR Podcast, we are breaking down Duke's victory at BC. Sam was in the building along with what felt like most of the Duke alumni in the Boston area, and Duke stayed well ahead of the Eagles throughout the contest. We start with the good from this game, in particular performances by Trevor Keels, Paolo Banchero, and Mark Williams. We are excited about a lot of the recent developments this week for the Blue Devils, particularly on offense. We also get into the bad, and we see a few continuing areas for development as Duke chases the ACC regular season title. Speaking of the conference race, Duke has a huge game this week again Wake Forest, so we preview that after the break. Wake Forest is also near the top of the ACC, so this matchup is a good test for Duke and a potential pitfall on the way to the crown. Player of the Week nominations are our final topic, other than wishing a very happy birthday to Coach K. We'll be back after the Wake game to review everything that happens in Cameron this week. Stay in touch with us at dbrpodcast at gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Duke Blue Devils left Littlejohn Coliseum with a 82-64 victory over the Clemson Tigers last night, and the DBR Podcast recaps the win on Episode 389. There were a couple standout performances, including Trevor Keels’ 2nd half. Of course, we discuss the scary moment in the first half where Clemson’s David Collins undercut Wendell Moore, Jr. on a fast break, leading to a very tense exchange between the two teams. We discuss the good and the bad from the game, particularly from Jason Evans, who was at the game and had some nice views of how the Blue Devils played. After the break, Duke travels to take on Boston College Saturday evening. Sam Klein will be in the house, and he gives a thorough breakdown of what to expect from the Eagles. Finally, there were a lot of Blue Devils that changed cities at the NBA trade deadline on Thursday. Donald talks about Marvin Bagley III heading to the Detroit Pistons, Sam gives his take on Vernon Carey, Jr. to the Washington Wizards, and there’s a lot of discussion from all 3 on Seth Curry moving to the Brooklyn Nets along with Rodney Hood and Semi Ojeleye going to the Los Angeles Clippers. We’ll be back later this weekend to recap the Boston College game, but until then, continue to send your wonderful thoughts to the team at DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ugh, last night was frustrating for the Duke Blue Devils. After a 69-68 loss to the Virginia Cavaliers, the DBR Podcast crew has to discuss what went wrong for Duke on Episode 388. UVA came out fired up, and they were hungrier according to Coach Mike Krzyzewski. We discuss how UVA deserved to win and what they did to give Duke frustrations on offense. On defense, the effort wasn’t there as UVA hammered them in the paint. Duke couldn’t break through the wall on offense as they continued to try and take the lead, and we’ll once again talk about execution at the end of the game as Duke had yet another lead inside 1 minute turn into a defeat. After the break, we do a familiar preview, as Duke next takes on the Clemson Tigers. Duke last played Clemson on January 25th in a rare close win for the Devils, so we talk about what Duke has to do in order to bring a win home from Littlejohn Coliseum. Continue to send us questions, comments, or headlines to DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, that was fun! The Blue Devils laid an absolute beatdown on UNC Saturday night. The final margin of 20 points didn't come close to reflecting Duke's dominance in this game. The DBR Podcast crew has a fun time dissecting every aspect of the win, from AJ Griffin's dominating offense to Wendell Moore's impressive defense. Plus, we talk a bit about the inspiration the team seemed to get from the way Carolina treated Coach K on his final visit to Chapel Hill. But, there is no rest for the Duke team. They are back in action on Monday against Virginia and Jason, Sam, and Donald are here with a preview of what to expect from the Cavaliers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is Go to H**l Carolina week here on the DBR podcast and we bring on a special guest to help with a deep dive into the 2021-22 Tarheels. Joining us is Brendan Marks, the guy who follows the ACC (and Duke and UNC in particular) for The Athletic. Brendan has seen pretty much every game these two teams have played this year and really knows what works and what doesn't for each of them. He gives us all the dirt on how Hubert Davis' UNC club is different from Roy Williams' brand of Tarheels basketball. Plus, we spend some time getting his view on this year's Duke team. Here's a hint -- he really loves AJ Griffin's game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Duke Blue Devils put on an incredible defensive performance Monday night against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, winning 57-43 in South Bend. On Episode 385 of the DBR Podcast, Donald returns along with Jason and Sam to discuss the victory! After headlines, we get into the good, and there was a ton of good on the defensive end. We highlight the team’s performance on the glass as well as just forcing Notre Dame into having a terrible shooting night. We salute the return of Trevor Keels and talk about how great Mark Williams was in the paint. After the break, we comment on the bad, which mostly existed on the offensive end for Duke. Though, Sam points out something on the defensive end that could use some tweaking. Finally, the entire crew laments the missed shots and is appreciative that there is a few days to work on that in the gym before the big game against UNC on Saturday. Speaking of UNC, the crew will be back later this week to preview the big game in Chapel Hill, and will hopefully have a special guest to help them out with it! Until then, keep sending the emails to DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the DBR Podcast, Jason and Sam are back without Donald, who is still on his USA Soccer travels, to review Duke's win at Louisville on Saturday. We start with AJ Griffin, who continued his hot streak from beyond the arc. His emergence this month has been the biggest revelation for Duke as they look to regain ground in the regular season race. We also need to talk about Mark Williams and Jeremy Roach, who had some outstanding highlights down the stretch for Duke. Finally, we have to thank Louisville, who, despite a tough week in the athletic department, gave Coach K a few delightful retirement gifts, most notably an appearance by former Louisville head coach Denny Crum. After the break, we preview Notre Dame, who has surprised ACC fans by being tied with Duke in the conference standings at the end of January. Other than one key freshman, the Irish bring an experienced team with a short bench, and they're a great shooting team. It's a short turnaround, with just over 48 hours between road games, so hopefully, Duke will get some rest between matches. We also hope that Duke isn't looking too far ahead to the first UNC game this upcoming Saturday. Stay in touch with the podcast at dbrpodcast at gmail.com, and we will be back after this week to get you ready for that Carolina game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clemson came to town this week and, full credit to the Tigers, they gave Duke all the Blue Devils could handle. The DBR Podcast gang sits down to dissect what went wrong (rebounding and shot selection) and what went right (Roach, Baker, and good outside shooting) to allow Duke to escape from Cameron with a win over a middle-tier ACC opponent. Plus, the guys look ahead to what will be a very strange game this weekend against Louisville. The Cardinals are in the midst of a coaching change and no one know how that might impact the way Louisville plays against Duke. Finally, some recruiting news, a number of future Blue Devils were honored by being named McDonald's All-Americans this week. We break down which men and women got the honor and what it means for their futures at Duke. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Duke Blue Devils had a great day on the basketball court yesterday in a 20-point thrashing of the Syracuse Orange. Episode 382 of the DBR Podcast is here to recap the excitement we felt from that match, but not before we discuss some of our favorite Girl Scout cookies! Sam, Jason, and Donald first read through some of the great headlines we received from listeners before getting into their own, along with the good and bad they saw yesterday. They were huge fans of Duke’s defense as well as their success in moving the ball around on offense to generate points. After the break, we preview once again for the Clemson Tigers, who come to Cameron on Tuesday night. Since the preview for the once postponed but now rescheduled road game, Clemson has fallen off a bit. Still, we give you the big picture and the details on what we can expect from the Tigers. We also touch on the exam that Duke students took in an effort to form the line in Krzyzewskiville for Coach K’s final game in Cameron. Over 170 tents aimed for a chance to be one of the students to begin tenting this week! Though we do not go through the test, we do talk about how cool it is for there to be incredible student interest in tenting this year. We end by giving out Player of the Week awards to two players who definitely were worthy recipients with their play. Continue to send us questions, headlines, or comment on what you hear from the pod! Send us an email at DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is no way to sugar coat it, Florida State worked hard and played gutsy basketball. They deserved that victory over Duke. But, there are plenty of important lessons for Duke to take from this game. The DBR Podcast gang breaks it all down, from the good (including a strong outing from Jeremy Roach and the Paolo takeover in the final 5 minutes) to the bad (offensive rebounds, turnovers, and those 15 minutes where Duke forgot Paolo was on the floor). Podcast co-hosts Jason Evans and Donald Wine also look ahead to the matchup this weekend with the Syracuse Orange, dissecting how you attack the Syracuse zone. They even make a prediction about a largely forgotten Blue Devil who may step forward into a big role against Boehiem's boys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DBR Podcast co-host Jason Evans was in a high school gym this weekend and, to his great surprise, he saw Duke legend Nate James there as well. Listen in as Jason catches up with Nate about his rebuilding plans for Austin Peay and as he reflects on how he found out about Coach K's impending retirement. But, before the interview with Nate, the podcast gang has their preview of this week's matchup with Florida State. The Seminoles will present new challenges to Duke as perhaps the biggest and deepest team the Blue Devils will face all year. So far, Florida State has been a little disappointing, but they clearly have the talent to pull off the upset, especially on their home floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Duke Basketball Report Podcast, Duke is back in the win column with a victory at home against NC State, behind huge nights for Mark Williams and Paolo Banchero. We also discuss Cam Reddish's recently trade to the Knicks, and the latest with Kyrie Irving. In the State game, we have to discuss Mark Williams, who nearly had a triple double with blocks for Duke in just 27 minutes. He terrorized the Wolfpack down low, and Duke was able to hold NC State's shooting to just over 40% from the field in a 15-point victory that never really got close once Duke built its initial lead in the first half. Our "good" includes Williams and the perimeter defense for Duke, as well as Banchero continuing his magical freshman season and Trevor Keels getting his first extended assignment in the point guard role. We also praise Jeremy Roach's performance off the bench. In the bad, we talk about how Duke allowed NC State to somewhat stay in the game with its offensive rebounding. We think that Duke has another gear that they didn't show on Saturday, so maybe it is coming soon. After the break, we get into recent Duke in the NBA news, starting with Cam Reddish's recent trade from Atlanta to New York, where he is now reunited with former Duke teammate RJ Barrett. We speculate about how this will benefit both of their careers. We also talk about the latest silliness around Kyrie Irving as the Nets are trying to get all of their stars on the court together. We wrap up this episode with our Player of the Week award. It was a weird week to pick a team MVP, but we had some concensus. Stay in touch with us at dbrpodcast at gmail.com, and we'll be back again before the FSU game to preview Leonard Hamilton's squad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a game where Coach K temporarily ceded power to Jon Scheyer, a game where AJ Griffin was elevated into the starting lineup for the first time, the story may have been Duke remembering who they are at halftime. After an uncomfortably close first half, the Devils buried the Demon Deacons in the second half. The DBR podcast crew has all the analysis of what went wrong early on and what went right after the break. Podcast co-host Jason Evans got to participate in the post-game media scrum and we hear from Duke players and Coach Jon Scheyer about what they saw during the game. Plus, always looking ahead, the DBR podcast guys give us a preview of what comes up this weekend, when Duke takes on the NC State Wolfpack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Blue Devils still don't look like themselves following the Covid break. On Saturday night they could not get out of their own way, turning the ball over 17 times on the way to a last minute loss to the upstart Miami Hurricanes. We hope you all got to listen to the previous episode where the DBR podcast crew previewed what to expect from Miami because many of their biggest fears came true on Saturday. Miami played tougher than expected on D and hit some wild shots on their way to victory. Donald, Jason, and Sam break it all down on the latest edition of the DBR Podcast. And after they recap the Miami game, the podcast gang turn their crystal ball prognosticating abilities toward Duke's next contest, against Wake Forest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a sloppy affair Tuesday night in Cameron, but the Duke Blue Devils shook off the Covid rust to beat the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 69-57. The DBR Podcast reacts to it and previews the upcoming game against the Miami Hurricanes on Episode 376! Duke played like it hadn’t played basketball in almost two weeks because...well, they haven’t played basketball in almost two weeks. We discuss the good, the almost good, the bad, and the not so bad from a game that saw another set of huge performances by A.J. Griffin, Paolo Banchero, and Mark Williams. We also discuss how cool it would have been for Bobby Cremins to be able to make it back to Cameron to sit on the bench one last time. After the break, we prepare for the Canes, who come to town Saturday night. Donald gives an extensive look at his second team and what Duke fans can expect from a Miami lineup that can score a lot of points but also give them up as well. We end by touching quickly on Michael Devoe’s back-and-forth with Coach K during the Tech game. We’ll be back this weekend to recap the Miami game (assuming it happens), but until then, make sure you’re subscribed and giving those 5 star ratings and reviews!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Duke Men’s Basketball Team is starting its return from a Covid outbreak that sidelined the team for the better part of two weeks. They are scheduled to be back in action tomorrow night against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and the DBR Podcast crew is here to preview the game on Episode 375! First, Coach K spoke to the media this morning and gave some insight on what the team had been dealing with during the Covid pause. With most of the team and coaching staff sidelined due to the infectious virus, the team is just started to return to practice today. The crew discusses what that means for a team that hasn’t played since December 22nd. Expect more rotations and a deeper bench against the Yellow Jackets, along with the rust that comes with a ramp up in conditioning. After the break, we break down Georgia Tech and what we can expect tomorrow night. They’re a team that doesn’t have big wins, and there are some areas where Duke has a clear advantage. We discuss the eye test as well as the advanced metrics along with how Duke may match up against the Yellow Jackets. We’ve received a ton of emails after our mailbag episode, and we’re answering them as quickly as we can! Continue to send your questions to DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com, and when we have another lull in the action, we will take the time on the show to answer a few of them! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We asked you to send us questions and, wow, did you ever deliver! For the final podcast of 2021, Jason, Sam, and Donald dive into some really fun questions from the podcast audience. We discuss whether Duke needs to lose games to reach their potential, which current Dukies have the best chance to make the NBA Hall of Fame, what the ideal Duke recruiting class should look like, and which players from last year we would want to have on this year's club. And, after the break, we've got some silly stuff too including the history of "Every Time We Touch," Donald's favorite sports stadiums, Jason's favorite sports movies, and we even get to listen in as Sam sings a song. It is the perfect way to bid farewell to 2021 and ring in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, we knew Covid would affect Duke’s season, and it looks like that time is now. The road game against the Clemson Tigers was postponed due to Duke having too many players in Covid protocols, and we’re here to react to it on Episode 373. Sam, Jason, and Donald discuss the postponing of the game, along with the the CDC and ACC’s amended guidelines, and what it could mean for Duke’s upcoming road trip to Notre Dame this weekend. After the break, we get into some NCAA Tournament talk with ESPN’s Joe Lunardi and his most recent projected tournament bracket. Duke’s a #1 seed in Lunardi’s eyes, but the rest of the ACC doesn’t show well in the latest projections. We take some time to discuss what matchups could be interesting, which teams look to be potential top seeds in the tournament, and how it would look for Duke had the season ended today. We will be doing a mailbag episode later this week, so send us some questions to DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com! We look forward to discussing some of the basketball questions along with maybe some movie and music questions that the listeners submit! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The next stop for Duke in the ACC schedule is a trip to Clemson, and the DBR podcast crew have a complete preview of what to expect from the Tigers. First thing you need to know, this is a better Clemson team than we have seen in several years. According to the advanced metrics, they are the 3rd or 4th best team in the conference. Duke better be prepared for this club that knows how to rain three-pointers down on the opposition. Donald, Jason, and Sam turn from Clemson to the Dukies in the NBA, with updates on the impressive seasons we are seeing from Grayson Allen, Frank Jackson, Seth Curry, Cam Reddish, and several other players. And, because the podcast gang knows how much you love to hear them opine on just about anything, there's even a conversation on what we think about strange flavors of jelly beans and popsicles. The verdict -- the podcast guys are not fans of coconut flavored treats. If you want to chime in on that debate, or any other topics, feel free to drop them a line at DBRPodcast at gmail dot com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The guys are gushing about Duke's latest victory over what is arguably the second best team in the ACC in Virginia Tech. It isn't so much that Duke won, but how they won that has the podcast crew so excited. It is the emergence of AJ Griffin and Duke's move to small-ball that seems to have unlocked some new cheat codes for Coach K to use against opponents. But, what does all this mean for Mark Williams and Theo John? Donald, Jason, and Sam debate whether Duke will be using this small-ball lineup a lot in coming games. After the break, the podcast gang is eager to welcome the newest member of the Brotherhood, Sean Stewart, a 6-8 forward in the class of 2023 who has become the latest high school star to declare his loyalty to Jon Scheyer. And, before they go, Jason gives props to the newest Dukie in the NBA while Donald and Sam are obsessed with the Brotherhood uniforms. Please, make them available for sale and we will give you all the money! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Duke Basketball Report podcast, the whole gang is back together to preview Duke's first ACC game, a home tilt on Wednesday night against Virginia Tech. We also spend a few minutes on some key ACC opponents who Duke will face this year. We begin with Virginia Tech, one of the best teams in the ACC. The Hokies come to Cameron following their biggest win of the season so far, a rout of St. Bonaventure. We highlight the ways that Virginia Tech will try to attack Duke, although we're all excited to see Duke get the conference season off on the right foot. Plus, Donald and Sam are excited to see the latest new Duke uniforms. After the break, we're highlighting some of the key teams in the ACC as Duke fans are turning their attention to the conference schedule. Donald details Wake Forest and Virginia, Sam wants to talk about Syracuse and Florida State, and Jason has the scoop on Notre Dame and of course, UNC. We'll be back to review the Virginia Tech game and look ahead at Clemson, but until then, stay in touch with the show at dbrpodcast at gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Duke Basketball Report Podcast, we discuss Duke's home victories about Appalachian State and Elon this week, following its big win over South Carolina State. Jason isn't here, but we roll on in his absence. Our first topic is the schedule. Duke was supposed to play Cleveland State on Saturday, but COVID issues forced Duke to reschedule not one but two opponents. Eventually, they landed on having Elon come to town, but not before some social media hubbub about who Duke should schedule. As for the actual games, Duke dispatched the Mountaineers on Thursday behind big performances from Wendell Moore and AJ Griffin, but the real highlight for the podcast was that Donald was in the building for his first game in Cameron in nearly two years. As for Saturday, Trevor Keels was the star, and we're excited that he might be rounding back into form with ACC games around the corner. We also need to give props to the walk-ons, who got some good burn with Duke in blowouts. We'll be back early this week to preview Duke's opening ACC game against Virginia Tech, but until then, stay in touch with the podcast at dbrpodcast at gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Duke Basketball Report Podcast is back with Episode 368 to recap the first game for the Duke Blue Devils post-exam break! Duke stomped out South Carolina State in their first game in the month of December, and they have 2 more games this week against teams with State in their names. Donald and Jason recap the 103-62 victory and all the good that happened with it. They also discuss what needs improvement as we move forward in the week. Christian Reeves is the latest recruit to commit to Jon Scheyer and Duke with the Class of 2022. We break down his game and discuss how he’s a guy that will need some seasoning but shows some promise as another 7-footer on the roster next season. After the break, Appalachian State and Cleveland State are next up for the Blue Devils. Jason and Donald preview both games along with how they match up with Duke. We end with a shoutout to Duke Women’s Basketball, who have a big game tonight against #1 South Carolina. Show them some love and head to the game if you’re in Durham! The DBR Podcast will be back to recap the upcoming games later in the weekend. Until then, keep the conversation going in the comments or send them an email to DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duke assistant coach Nolan Smith spoke to the media this week and the DBR podcast gang was there to listen in. What has Duke been working on during the exam break? What will it take for this team to make a push to the next level? Plus, after the break, the guys discuss Duke's next opponent the South Carolina State Bulldogs. As one of the lowest rated teams in KenPom, they probably don't have much of a chance against Duke. This episode also includes a discussion about birthday parties for 3-year-olds and the healing power of massage. You may come for the Duke content, but you probably stick around for the eclectic lunacy that is Jason, Sam, and Donald riffing on whatever tickles their fancy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Blue Devil family got a little bit bigger on Friday. The DBR Podcast crew starts out by welcoming 6-8 combo forward Mark Mitchell, the latest 5-star stud who wants to be a part of Jon Scheyer's first year as head coach. Mitchell's commitment cements Scheyer's first recruiting effort as the best class in the land. We discuss what Mitchell brings to the program and what kind of role he will play on next year's Blue Devils. And, after the break, we also welcome new football head coach Mike Elko to Durham. Elko joins Duke after a very impressive run as defensive coordinator at Texas A&M, Notre Dame, and Wake Forest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cameron Indoor Stadium is the best venue to watch a sporting event on Earth, and one of the major reasons for that are the Cameron Crazies. The students that occupy the best of the 9,314 seats in Cameron support the Duke Blue Devils enthusiastically every game, and each year they also resurrect the tent city we all know as Krzyzewskiville in anticipation of the annual home game against North Carolina. Keeping K-Ville fun and organized is a huge job, which is where the Line Monitors step in. They’re tasked with the responsibility of not only keeping K-Ville fun and organizing undergraduate admissions to basketball games, but they also make sure Cameron is rocking every single night. Leading the group this year are co-Head Line Monitors Cameron Jarnot and Caroline Bower, and the two of them sit down with the DBR Podcast crew on Episode 365! After briefly discussing what they think of this year’s team, Cameron and Caroline explain what goes into the logistics of running K-Ville successfully as well as providing the energetic atmosphere inside Cameron. They also discuss the unique challenges of operating this year in the Covid climate, where half of the student body had not been able to see a game in Cameron entering this season. We close with their thoughts about people complaining about the Crazies as well as their favorite stories about Coach K as they have a front row seat to his final season as Duke head coach. The DBR Podcast has thoroughly enjoyed all the recent emails, so keep them coming! Drop us a line at DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com to let us know what you think of the interview or any of what we discuss on the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Duke Blue Devils suffered their first loss of the season Tuesday night in Columbus to the Ohio State Buckeyes, and we recap what went wrong on Episode 364. The #1 ranking will only sit next to Duke’s name for a few more days after what was a sloppy game full of uncharacteristic mistakes. We start with the headlines and the good, and the good centers around the captain, Wendell Moore. We also talk about free throw shooting and using this loss as a learning opportunity for the rest of the season. After the break, we get into the bad, of which there’s quite a bit that we discuss. Poor perimeter shooting, foul trouble, sloppy play, and fatigue all contributed to the loss. After we discuss the bad, we name our unanimous Player of the Week. Keep the emails coming! DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com is how you can reach us to ask questions or give your feedback of the show or anything we discuss. We love hearing from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re back from the Thanksgiving weekend and we have an action-packed Episode 363 for you! Fresh off the big win against the Gonzaga Bulldogs, the Duke Blue Devils are now #1 in the country and set to play against the Ohio State Buckeyes tomorrow night in Columbus. Jason Evans sits down with Connor Lemons from the Bucketheads Podcast over at Land-Grant Holy Land, the Ohio State SB Nation blog. Connor gives us a brutally honest review of the Buckeyes and what we can expect from them in a preview of tomorrow’s game. The preview leads to an overall preview of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. Jason, Sam, and Donald discuss the uphill battle the ACC faces this season in the Challenge with some of the matchups. After the break, Duke is #1, and we discuss the AP poll that was released today. The ACC is represented in the AP poll by Duke and Duke only, leading the crew to say that this ACC-B1G Challenge is a huge opportunity for the ACC to change the narrative around the conference. Finally, we take some time to issue our farewell to Coach David Cutcliffe, who is leaving the Duke Football program after 14 years. Coach Cut instilled a football culture at Duke, and he left Durham much better than he found it. We each say our thanks for everything he gave to Duke, and we opine about possible successors. We continue to get some awesome emails from so many of our listeners, aso keep it coming! Drop us a line at DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Duke Basketball Report Podcast, we break down Duke's thrilling victory over Gonzaga at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Black Friday. Donald was in attendance, Jason and Sam were at home, and we know that Duke fans around the world were dialed into this one. Beginning with the good, we break down the stellar performances that Paolo Banchero, Mark Williams, and Wendell Moore, Jr. turned in against Gonzaga's imposing frontline. Banchero's cramps gave us some cause for concern in the second half, but Moore and Williams were able to maintain the pressure on the Bulldogs throughout. We also need to talk about the energy in the building and Duke's strong game plan, which made it possible for Duke to keep Gonzaga at arm's length despite Gonzaga grabbing a lot more offensive rebounds and Duke having a relatively light night from behind the three-point line. The bad today is more nitpicky than anything, but we're still waiting for a complete performance from Duke's collective starting five. Jeremy Roach and Trevor Keels had tough games on offense, although the team defense was working well against Gonzaga's sophisticated offensive capabilities. Player of the week awards this week are extremely fun given the Gonzaga outcome. Banchero, Williams, and Moore are all in contention. We'll be back this week to preview Duke's ACC-Big Ten Challenge game at Ohio State, but in the meantime, stay in touch with the podcast team at dbrpodcast at gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Duke Basketball Report Podcast, we are previewing Duke's huge game Friday night against the Gonzaga Bulldogs in Las Vegas. Duke last faced Gonzaga in 2018, and for this preview, we wanted a bit of extra expertise, so we are joined by Peter Woodburn, site manager for The Slipper Still Fits, the SBNation blog covering the Zags (check it out!). Peter helps us dive deep on Gonzaga's stars, including preseason national player of the year Drew Timme, returning lead guard Andrew Nembhard, and freshman phenom big man Chet Holmgren. He also breaks down a number of guys on Gonzaga's bench and tells us why Gonzaga is so consistently overwhelming in the non-conference. Peter does admit that Duke may be the toughest test that the Zags will face in the regular season, but still thinks that his team will pull away from Duke on Friday. Outside of the Duke game, we get into Gonzaga's rise as a program and its newfound prominence as a source for NBA talent. After the break, we recap the conversation with Peter and give our thoughts about the game. We agree that the best part of the show will be the frontcourt battle, where Gonzaga's Timme and Holmgren will meet Duke's three-headed monster of Paolo Banchero, Mark Williams, and Theo John. We'll be back soon after the Gonzaga game to recap it, and then we will have another special preview for Duke's ACC-Big Ten Challenge game next week against Ohio State. Stay in touch with us, as always, at dbrpodcast at gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Only minutes after Duke soared past the 100 point mark for the first time all season, the DBR Podcast sat down to break down what happened in the game against The Citadel Bulldogs. Jason and Donald just cannot stop comparing Wendell Moore to Shane Battier. It is completely unfair, but they are struggling to come up with any other comp for Wendell's play early in his junior season. They also loved what they saw from Paolo Banchero and Mark Williams in this contest. And, they spend some time praising the effort from the Bulldogs, who set a record for 3-pointers made by an opponent inside Cameron Indoor. Make sure you check your podcast feed later this week too, because the guys are preparing a special preview episode that will drop on Wednesday. Stay tuned for that! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Mark Williams dunking and blocking everything on the inside and AJ Griffin draining step-back threes from the outside, Duke laid a real beatdown on Lafayette. The DBR Podcast crew breaks it all down including a wild projection for Wendell Moore's career that sounds crazy, but when you think about it really could happen. After a break, we look ahead to The Citadel, including a lengthy conversation about how to pronounce the name of the school, and we begin to look ahead to the huge matchup with Gonzaga. Plus, we still have thoughts about the DWI incident that impacted the team and Sam admits he may have made a mistake in his first comments on how Duke handled things... a mistake that was pointed out to him via a listener email. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Normally, this episode would have been a straightforward review of Duke's 40-point win over Gardner-Webb, after a few hard-fought minutes of back and forth. Alas, the game was not all that happened in Duke Basketball world on Tuesday. According to local reporting by the Raleigh News and Observer and police reports out of Chapel Hill, Michael Savarino was arrested early Sunday morning for DWI while driving Paolo Banchero's car. Banchero, meanwhile, was riding in the car at the time, and was cited for aiding and abetting the DWI. Subsequently, the team has suspended Savarino indefinitely while Banchero played Tuesday night. Donald isn't with us, but we have a bit of a debate between Jason and Sam about the severity of the situation and Duke's response. After the break, we discuss the aforementioned game, in which Mark Williams had his strongest performance of the season, blocking six GWU shots in the paint and delivering at both ends of the floor. The Duke starting five had, collectively, their best overall game yet, and many of the bench players turned in productive nights, from Joey Baker to Theo John to AJ Griffin, and even Bates Jones. We'll be back later this week to recap the game against Lafayette and whenever we get more concrete information about the Savarino and Banchero situation. Until then, stay in touch with us at dbrpodcast at gmail.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a relatively easy win over Army and a too-close-for-comfort one over the Campbell Fighting Camels, the DBR Podcast gang is here to talk about the opening home weekend of the Duke Basketball season. There was plenty to like (Wendell Moore) but also plenty to be concerned about (Mark Williams). DBR Podcast co--host Sam Klein made the trek back to Cameron to see both games and gives us a wrap of what he saw inside the confines of Cameron Indoor Stadium. Then, after the break, the guys break down what to expect and what to watch for as Duke battles Gardner Webb this week. Oh, and before we go we have to pick our player of the week. Who do you think had the best week of all the Blue Devils? Write to us at DBRPodcast at gmail-dot-com and let us know. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DBR Podcast crew is just as pumped as all of you about the Duke win over the Kentucky Wildcats, so they’re here to recap the big dub on Episode 356! We revive our recap format that includes a headline to describe the game. We then get into the good and the bad that we saw last night at the Garden, from Keel Mode and Paolo Banchero to Theo John and Wendell Moore’s efforts. We also discuss some of the things that need to be improved, like shooting from the perimeter. After the break, Duke has 2 more games coming up against the Army Black Knights and Campbell Fighting Camels in the friendly confines of Cameron Indoor Stadium. We preview the two opponents and discuss what Duke has to do to win both games in the span of 27 hours. If you’re not subscribing to the DBR Podcast, you can! Follow wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget to rate and review! Also, we love hearing from listeners on what they thought of certain parts of the show. Drop us a line at DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The season is almost here and the DBR Podcast gang has an extensive preview of what to expect from our first opponent, the Kentucky Wildcats. This is not your typical John Calipari team, rather than being loaded with freshman phenoms, it is full of experienced transfers from other programs. We break down who the key players are for Kentucky and how they match up with the 2021-22 Duke Blue Devils. Then, after the commercial break, it is JJ Redick time. JJ recently joined ESPN as a NBA analyst and the DBR's Jason Evans got to listen in on a media availability that JJ had. When it came Jason's turn to ask a question -- you guessed it -- he wanted JJ's best Coach K story... and JJ came through with not one but two good ones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DBR Podcast gang previews the 2021-22 Duke season with their annual tradition, The Stats Game. Listen in as Sam takes Jason and Donald through more than 20 statistical categories to hear who the guys think will put up impressive numbers for the Blue Devils. They cover the ordinary -- like points, rebounds, blocked shots, and assists -- and they also get into some very specialized categories like how many games Joey Baker will start, how many minutes Theo John will play, and how many double-doubles Paolo Banchero will record on the season. And, of course, it all ends with the biggest prediction of all... how many games will Duke win this year? And, once you are done listening the guys invite you to visit the DBR Forums to post your own predictions. When the year is done, we can look back and see how everyone did. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the DBR Podcast, we are without Donald Wine, but AJ Griffin is back from injury, so we'll take the good with the bad as Duke takes down Winston Salem State in the Blue Devils' lone public exhibition game of the 2021-2022 season. Speaking of AJ Griffin, we begin with a breakdown of his brief Duke debut. It does seem like he's still getting back in shape from his injury, but we are excited by his limited showing so far. Paolo Banchero was the star of the exhibition, scoring from near and far and showing us why he was such a hot prospect coming into Duke. Wendell Moore, Jeremy Roach, Mark Williams, and even Bates Jones showed off a bit in this easy night for Duke. Coming back from the break, we preview this year's edition of the DBR Podcast stats game, where we try to predict statistical outcomes for Duke at the beginning of the season. It always goes haywire, no matter how much we think we know the team. Got ideas for the stats game? Email us at dbrpodcast at gmail.com. Happy Halloween, Blue Devils! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time in over 18 months, Duke will have a game in Cameron with fans in the stands! Nevermind that it’s an exhibition game, that doesn’t stop our excitement to preview Winston Salem State on Episode 352! We get into the preview to discuss what we can expect against the Rams on Saturday afternoon. We give our takes on what we will be looking for, and who we may keep an eye on as AJ Griffin appears to be practicing with the team again. The conversation ends with a dive into our various YouTube viewing histories. After the break, we have more Villanova scrimmage video to react! This is more of a behind the scenes look at the trip, so we comment on the road trip to DC and what new nuggets we gained from the footage. We end with a quick conversation on news that the ACC is considering moving its headquarters out of Greensboro. Which cities make sense to us? We love hearing from our listeners! If you have questions or comments about the show, hit us up at DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DBR Podcast crew is here once again to bring you special insight into the future of the Duke Blue Devils. This time, they sit down for a conversation with big man recruit Kyle Filipowski, the 7-footer who plays more like a guard than a post player. Kyle was the very first recruit of the Jon Scheyer era and he tells us all about his recruitment and how he thinks he fits in with the rest of Duke's #1 rated class of 2022. We really want to know how he fits next to fellow big man recruit Dereck Lively and Duke fans will love Kyle's answer to that question. After a break, the podcast gang spends a little bit more time looking back on Duke's scrimmage against Villanova. We break down the 45 seconds of footage that Villanova released from the event... because what your opponent says about you is just as important as what you say about yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Duke Blue Devils took on the Villanova Wildcats in a closed door scrimmage yesterday in Washington, D.C., and the DBR Podcast is here to react on what we learned on Episode 350! Duke Men’s Basketball put out a highlights video on social media, and we use that along with some other nuggets found on the internet to react to what was a great weekend of Duke Basketball. Paolo Banchero, Trevor Keels, and Wendell Moore are among the many players that reportedly did extremely well against the Preseason AP #4 ranked team. We discuss some of the players that did well and what this means for the team as they progress through the preseason. After the break, we get into some NBA discussion over the NBA 75 list, the list of the greatest players in the league’s history on its Diamond anniversary. We discuss some of the players that we felt should have been included on the list as well as some who should have been left off the list. We also get into some of the current Dukies in the NBA who could find their way onto the list in 25 years. Sam ends by giving us the get-in price for the Duke-Boston College game compared to other Boston College games. Don’t forget, DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com is where you should direct your questions, suggestions, or if you have basketball tickets you wish to provide to the 3 hosts who would love to attend with you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ACC media voted on the best players and teams in the conference this week and the DBR podcast crew is here to break down what the results say about Duke and the rest of the league. Paolo Banchero featured prominently in the awards categories, but the DBR guys mention several other Duke players getting some love from the media. Plus, the guys take a look at how the voters expect the ACC standings to go and they point out the teams that are overhyped and the ones that are being over looked. The guys spend special time highlighting Virginia, Va Tech, Notre Dame, Miami, Syracuse, and Florida State. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This weekend marked the formal introduction of the 2021-22 Duke Blue Devils via Countdown to Craziness. The DBR Podcast crew was watching with eagle eyes as the team played two 12-minute intra-squad scrimmages. They go beyond the stats to dig deep into what was learned about the team. They give answers to the questions -- who impressed the most, what seems like a source of concern, and what do we not need to worry about from this year's team? Then, after the break, the guys get into the fun stuff that happened at countdown -- the player introductions and what we know about the recruits who were there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the Duke Basketball Report Podcast covers a lot of topics from this week in Duke Basketball. Donald was in Durham earlier this week to meet with the incoming head line monitors, and we are excited for the season to get started with Countdown to Craziness. First up, the unfortunate news that AJ Griffin is out indefinitely with a knee injury of unknown severity. The news gives us unhappy memories of Harry Giles and Kyrie Irving, who also dealt with injuries as freshmen that limited their playing time and therefore their teams' ceilings. We also speculate about who will shoulder the load for Griffin in his absence. Speaking of guys stepping up, the second bit of news that is more optimistic for Duke fans is that Wendell Moore and Joey Baker have officially been made captains for Coach K's final team. On the recruiting front, Jon Scheyer has officially logged his first miss as the Duke head coach, with 2022 guard JJ Starling picking Mike Brey and Notre Dame. We are keeping clear heads about this development, because Coach Scheyer has enjoyed an embarrassment of riches on the trail so far. We wrap with news about Coach K's retirement plan as it relates to Duke and Cameron Indoor Stadium, and (sigh) Kyrie Irving's current take on not getting vaccinated. We try to remain calm. Stay in touch with us at dbrpodcast at gmail.com, and we'll be back after Countdown. Have fun tonight Duke fans! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duke has released more video of a basketball team scrimmage and the DBR Podcast crew came away very impressed with Wendell Moore. He just looks different from the guy we have watched the past couple seasons. Jason, Donald, and Sam also have plenty of love for Theo John, Trevor Keels, and several other players. Plus, we dig into the recent survey that found college coaches across the nation seem to think Duke under Jon Scheyer is in better hands than UNC is under Hubert Davis. And the guys wrap it all up with some thoughts on the Duke-UNC football game. Believe it or not, there were positives to be found in this blowout loss to our rivals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first official Duke Men’s Basketball practice of the 2021-22 season was on Tuesday, and Duke used the opportunity to have a media availability for the entire team, including Coach K. Naturally, we were able to secure some audio from Coach K’s press conference as well as the media availability of the players and coaching staff thanks to the helping hand of Matt Burr, co-host of WXDU Sports, who joins us on the second half of this episode to discuss what he learned from the team. Jason and Donald begin with a couple of soundbites from Coach K, who took to the podium for 30 minutes to discuss this year’s team and how he does not want this to be about his “last” or “final” time. You’ll also hear his thoughts on Wendell Moore’s progression as a leader and player. He has seemed to embrace the role of veteran leader on the team, and it gives Jason and Donald a lot of excitement. After the break, we welcome Matt Burr to the program to discuss some of the other thoughts he learned from the rest of the team during the media availability. We have some audio from associate head coach Chris Carrawell, who discusses the physicality of the team and how it’s certainly special this year. We also get into a little bit of what some of the thoughts of the rest of the team and how the sentiment is still focused on that 6th national title. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The podcast crew wipes a tear from their eyes as they bid goodbye to the basketball career of JJ Redick, one of the greatest long-range shooters in hoops history. But that is only the beginning of a potpourri episode chock full of all sorts of interesting news -- There's a significant development on the name, image, and likeness front regarding a member of the Duke team; Donald and Jason then take a look at the physiques on display in the official team photo; they break down the big football win against Northwestern and look ahead to this weekend's battle with Kansas; there is always time for a shout-out to the Duke soccer teams that put a hurting on UNC over the weekend; and the whole thing wraps up with a look at the latest recruit scheduled to visit Duke's campus this coming weekend, sharpshooting guard JJ Starling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Duke Basketball Report Podcast, we dive into Jon Scheyer's latest five-star recruit, Dereck Lively II, who committed to Duke on Monday night. What does Lively mean as a player? He is enormous and gifted at both ends of the floor. Jason would like to highlight how long Lively is, in addition to how tall he is. Lively has shown the ability to both score and defend all over the floor. Sam and Donald are excited about his payer comparison to Tyson Chandler. Really, how bad could that be? We agree, though, that Dereck Lively is an enormous addition for the Blue Devils. After the break, we wonder how Jon Scheyer has put together such an impressive class so early in his tenure. Most of Duke's recruits in the 2022 class have already comitted to rising Coach Scheyer, with only a few left on the radar. Scheyer's run of recruiting success should help bridge the gap from Coach K to the future or the program. Stay in touch with us at dbrpodcast at gmail.com, and we will be back again soon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The full Duke Men’s Basketball chedule has been revealed with the release of the ACC schedule last night, and the DBR Podcast is here to discuss it all. Donald and Sam discuss some of the parts of the ACC schedule to look out for, from the short turnarounds to the long road trips and tough stretches. With this being the final time fans can watch a Duke team led by Coach K, some interesting parts of the country will have access to quite a few games that they wouldn’t normally have. After the break, Caleb Foster is the first Duke commitment from the Class of 2023, and we discuss what type of player we could see on campus in a couple years. The recruiting train is rolling just as strong as ever, and it’s exciting to see it all take shape. Of course, we love hearing from our listeners, so DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com is where you can direct questions or comments about the show. But, before you do, don’t forget to like, subscribe, rate 5 stars and review wherever you find your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices