What to Watch For In Duke-Fort Valley State

Blue Devils close exhibition season.

Duke gets its final preseason tune-up on Wednesday night as Fort Valley State heads to Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The Blue Devils have plenty to prove after winning its exhibition opener by just six points. That win was over Northwest Missouri State, who went undefeated last season en route to the Division II national championship.

Duke should have a more manageable margin of victory against Fort Valley, who is coming off of a 7-22 season last year.

Fort Valley is led by Shawn Foxbrennen, who was preseason Second Team All SIAC after averaging 13.1 points and 6.8 rebounds last year. He’s Fort Valley’s tallest player at 6-foot-7.

K’Viontae Williams averaged 11.8 points last year and led the team in assists.

Fort Valley also has nine new players, including freshman Tristan Davis, Mississippi Valley State transfer Gregory Holloway and Juco transfer Zachary Boggs.

Most of the eyes will be on Duke, however. Among the questions raised in the first exhibition that will need to be addressed are:

Shooting: Duke hit just two of 16 shots last year, leading Coach Mike Krzyzewski to say, “we are not a good shooting team.”

Finishing: Krzyzewski was more upset over Duke’s approach inside. The Blue Devils were too timid around the basket, “shooting instead of finishing” in Coach K’s words. Highly touted freshman center Vernon Carey Jr. and forward Wendell Moore each had just four points.

Perimeter defense: NW Missouri State hit more threes than twos, going 15 of 34 from long range, compared to 8 of 24 on the inside, to keep the game close. There were also several uncontested drives to the basket in the Blue-White scrimmage that raised an early flag about the perimeter d for every position except the point.