Photo credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Duke Basketball: Jon Scheyer Puts Coach K's Early Record to Shame
On Saturday night, in a 67-59 road victory over Notre Dame that extended the Duke basketball winning streak to six, Jon Scheyer became only the ninth 50-game head coach of the Blue Devils. His 38-12 record puts him atop that group, three more wins than second-best Vic Bubas at the same juncture in his storied tenure (1959-69).
Scheyer's first Duke basketball team as head coach included only two returning scholarship players. Now, in his second season on the throne, the 36-year-old and reigning ACC Tournament title leader has still never lost more than two games in a row, and he's lost two in a row only twice.
Mike Krzyzewski's record at this stage in 1982? 26-24.
Sure, Scheyer, who helped power the Blue Devils to the 2010 national title as a senior guard and was an assistant for Duke's 2015 champs, inherited the brand that Krzyzewski took to new levels across his 42 years at the helm.
Remember, though, Coach K inherited a program that played for the national championship two years prior. Plus, his first team (1980-81) had a three-time All-ACC performer and Duke great in Gene Banks, not to mention two of the other top-four scorers from the 1979-80 squad (24-9 record) in Vince Taylor and Kenny Dennard.
In other words, even by Duke standards and despite the unfair expectations that have come with succeeding a five-time national champion, Jon Scheyer is acing the test.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball news.
