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Duke Basketball: Blue Devils 2019-20 season preview

By Matthew Travis

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: The Duke Blue Devils mascot performs against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: The Duke Blue Devils mascot performs against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 19: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski talks with Alex O’Connell #15 of the Duke Blue Devils during the first half of their game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 19, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 19: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski talks with Alex O’Connell #15 of the Duke Blue Devils during the first half of their game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 19, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Key Questions Facing the Blue Devils

The Blue Devils have some major questions staring them in the face heading into the 2019-20 season and depending on what the answers to these questions are, they could make or break their seasons.

How will Tre Jones fare stepping into his new role?

Last season Tre Jones was fantastic, even though he was the fourth option for the Blue Devils. Now that he is their top returning player and arguably the best player on Duke’s roster, he will have a much bigger role for the Blue Devils.

So how will he fare with this new role?

In my opinion, there is nothing to worry about with Tre Jones stepping into his new role. Last season Jones was an amazing passer as he averaged 5.3 assists per game and only 1.5 turnovers.

That being said, Jones was one of the most reliable passers in the nation and I would expect him to do just that again during the 2019-20 season, this time with more weapons in his arsenal. If Jones can improve upon his shooting, he has the chance to be one of the best point guards in the nation.

Will three-point shooting be as much of a struggle as last season?

Last season Duke had one of their worst three-point shooting seasons in school history, which would turn out to be their downfall. Shooting a combined 30.2% from behind the arch, the Blue Devils were one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the nation.

However, with Matthew Hurt, who is known to be a menace from beyond the three-point line, the Blue Devils are destined to improve their three-point shooting. Hurt is known for his ability to be able to shoot from anywhere which will undoubtedly help them as a team.

However, with four of the five players in the starting five being incoming freshmen, this is a question we won’t know the answer to for quite some time. We know Matthew Hurt can shoot the three, but whether or not Cassius Stanley and Wendell Moore can be something to look out for in the early season.

If Duke couldn’t make the Final Four with Zion, RJ and Cam Reddish, why will they this year?

Last season Duke had one of the most stacked, if not THE most stacked college basketball team of all time and they failed to make the Final Four. So if they couldn’t make the Final Four with the top three recruits from the Class of 2018, what makes you think they can do it this season with a less talented roster?

Duke has a very talented roster this season with the sixth, 11th, 22nd and 32nd overall recruits from the Class of 2019, but once again, it’s not as good as last year. However, one could make the case that this year’s team is more well-rounded than that of last year’s team.

Having a play-maker down low in Vernon Carey jr. will be huge for the Blue Devils as he will likely draw double-teams regularly. What this means is that it will open up the floor for the Blue Devils to take more opened shots.

One guy who will capitalize on those open shots is Matthew Hurt. Hurt is known for his shooting and if shots are opened up for him, that will be a huge source of points for the Blue Devils.

I wouldn’t write off the Blue Devils just yet simply because they failed to make it to the Final Four last year. This year’s team is much different from last years and they will get their points in different ways.

Because of this and the talent Duke has across the board, the Blue Devils have a serious chance at making the trip to Atlanta for the 2020 Final Four.

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