Joey Baker to Return Against Louisville
Duke sophomore Joey Baker will return to the floor for No. 3 Duke's ACC showdown with Louisville. Baker missed the last game after spraining his ankle in practice. The team announced early on Saturday morning that Baker would be "back in the lineup today."
After appearing in just four games and playing 18 minutes as a freshman last season, following a midseason decision not to attempt to redshirt the year, Baker has emerged as one of the team’s top shooting threats and a member of the playing rotation. After sitting out the opener against Kansas, he has played in each of the following 15 games, starting two. He’s averaging 6.5 points, which is sixth on the team. He’s fourth on the Blue Devils in points per 40 minutes.
Baker has hit 20-of-46 on three-point shots, and his .435 shooting percentage from deep is tops on the team. He’s also a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line. His overall .481 shooting percentage from the field is fourth on the team among players with 75 or more attempts.
Without Baker on Tuesday, the Blue Devils struggled against Clemson, losing to the Tigers on the road. Baker will allow Duke, already missing Wendell Moore Jr., who is recovering from surgery on a broken bone in his hand, to have a nine-man rotation. Duke seemed to fatigue in the Clemson game, leaving several shots short as the game went on.
Baker also brings a fiery disposition on and off the court, lifting the team with his emotion.
