The Duke Blue Devils are off to a 2-0 start, taking care of business against Texas in Charlotte and Western Carolina back home in Durham. As expected, Jon Scheyer’s team opened the year with flashes of dominance and moments of uncertainty — a familiar pattern for a young, talent-loaded roster learning how to play together.
While the staff won’t be overly concerned in early November, there’s no denying that Duke’s first week revealed some areas that need attention. The college basketball season is all about growth, and Scheyer’s challenge is to turn these early lessons into strengths by the time March arrives. Here are three early-season concerns the Blue Devils must address moving forward.
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1. Finding Consistency at Point Guard
The first week made it clear: Duke’s ceiling will depend heavily on its point guard play. Sophomore Caleb Foster and freshman Cayden Boozer both had promising moments, but neither has yet shown the steady hand Duke will need against elite competition.
Foster’s start to the season was rocky — especially in the first half against Texas, where turnovers and hesitancy slowed Duke’s offense. However, his response after halftime showed the kind of toughness Scheyer expects. Foster turned his defense into offense, locking down Texas guard Jordan Pope, who had been heating up from deep. Once Foster embraced the defensive stopper role, Pope struggled to separate, and Duke’s defense finally clicked. That energy carried over offensively, as Foster chipped in seven points, including a five-point burst that helped Duke seize control late.
Boozer, on the other hand, looked poised from the start. He played with great composure in the first half against Texas, using his vision and passing instincts to generate clean looks for teammates. Boozer already appears to be Duke’s most reliable playmaker out of the pick-and-roll, a crucial skill given the number of scorers on this roster. His ability to read defenses and make quick decisions gives the Blue Devils an element of flow they sometimes lack when Foster is off the ball.
The challenge is that both guards seem to perform best when they’re on the floor together. Scheyer’s dilemma, then, is balancing their chemistry with Duke’s need for size and defensive versatility. Playing both at once can leave Duke undersized on the perimeter. Ultimately, the Blue Devils will need Caleb Foster to take the next step — not just as a scorer, but as a consistent floor general who can lead and settle the offense in big moments.
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2. Keeping the Frontcourt Out of Foul Trouble
Duke’s talented frontcourt duo of Patrick Ngongba and Maliq Brown has the potential to be one of the best in the ACC — but only if they can stay on the floor. Both players fouled out against Texas, a stat that proved costly as the Blue Devils struggled to control the paint late in the first half.
Ngongba, a freshman with elite physical tools, logged just 24 minutes before fouling out. His size and touch around the rim make him an important piece on both ends, and Duke’s offense often looks more fluid when he’s anchoring the paint. However, he tends to reach or slap down when contesting shots, picking up unnecessary fouls born out of frustration rather than positioning.
Maliq Brown faces a similar issue. His instincts and hustle are undeniable — he has a knack for getting his hands on loose balls and disrupting passing lanes — but he often overextends himself defensively. Many of his fouls come from trying to recover after being slightly out of position. If Brown can learn to trust his length and timing rather than his reach, he’ll stay on the floor longer and help Duke dominate the glass.
Their foul trouble ties directly into Duke’s next major issue — one that nearly cost them against Texas and could become a recurring problem if left unaddressed.
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3. Cleaning Up the Rebounding Issues
Despite being the bigger and more athletic team, Duke was thoroughly outworked on the boards against Texas. The Longhorns grabbed 18 offensive rebounds out of 40 possible opportunities, converting nearly half of their missed shots into second chances. That kind of effort discrepancy simply can’t happen if Duke hopes to contend for a national title.
The trend continued, albeit to a lesser degree, against Western Carolina, which managed 15 offensive rebounds of its own. Scheyer’s staff will point to foul trouble in the frontcourt as part of the issue, but the problem runs deeper. Duke’s wings and guards have to take more ownership on the glass.
Players like Dame Sarr and Isaiah Evans — both long, springy athletes — need to contribute more consistently on the boards. When Ngongba and Brown are occupied battling opposing bigs, those wings have to crash from the perimeter to clean up rebounds. The same goes for the guards; Duke’s transition attack thrives when they can rebound and push the pace themselves.
The Blue Devils’ rebounding woes aren’t unsolvable, but they do require a shift in mindset. Effort and positioning are fixable issues — and Scheyer will undoubtedly make that a point of emphasis in practice this week.
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The Big Picture: Early Lessons for a Team with Championship Ambitions
At 2-0, Duke’s record is right where it should be, but the film tells a story of a team still finding its rhythm. Cameron Boozer, the team’s unquestioned offensive centerpiece, struggled early against Texas before dominating the second half. His combination of power, touch, and passing makes him the focal point of everything Duke wants to do. Expect Scheyer to feature Boozer more often in the post moving forward — not just as a scorer, but as an initiator for Duke’s offense.
Isaiah Evans showed why he’s been labeled a “microwave scorer,” flashing a smooth, confident jumper that can change games in minutes. On the defensive end, Duke’s second-half performance against Texas and full-game effort versus Western Carolina were encouraging signs of what’s possible when they’re locked in.
In short, the defense and energy are where they need to be for November. The offense, meanwhile, remains a work in progress — one that will evolve as the guards settle into their roles and the frontcourt learns to play disciplined, foul-free basketball.
Duke’s first week revealed some cracks, but also plenty of promise. The Blue Devils have the talent, depth, and defensive edge to be elite. If they can clean up these three areas — point guard consistency, frontcourt discipline, and rebounding effort — they’ll look every bit the contender fans expect by the time March rolls around.
