Blue Devil Country

Relentless Duke Basketball Floor General Admits 'A Lot to Clean Up'

Even after winning by 36 points, Duke basketball starter Sion James remains determined to see the Blue Devils kick it up another another.
Matt Giles|
Duke basketball guard Sion James
Duke basketball guard Sion James | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

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Entering the Duke basketball road battle against the Virginia Cavaliers (13-12, 6-8 ACC) at 8 p.m. ET Monday (ESPN), Sion James has been a primary floor general and full-time starter for the No. 3-ranked Blue Devils (22-3, 14-1 ACC) since their Dec. 4 home win over now-No. 1 Auburn. Still, the grad transfer has been one of the most overlooked consistent forces as a member of Cooper Flagg & Co.

ALSO READ: Top In-State Recruit Attends Duke Victory Over Stanford

Meanwhile, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound Georgia native has been adding to his consistency as a points-finding bulldozer in crunch time and one of several intimidating defenders in the towering Duke basketball starting lineup.

Moreover, his efficiency as a scorer and distributor has been off the charts of late, highlighted by his 14 points and only three field goal attempts while dishing out out six dimes and only one turnover in Saturday's 106-70 home victory over Stanford.

As the official Duke basketball stats account pointed out, between the Blue Devils' past eight outings, James has recorded 32 assists and only six turnovers, a 5.3 assist/turnover ratio.

"I feel like we've been all right the last two games," James said in the locker room after the Blue Devils tallied their second straight win following a loss at Clemson that snapped their 16-game winning streak, "and we feel like we did good things at Clemson too. It's really about just stacking good days.

"We got a clean up. This wasn't our cleanest game, by far...I'm not going to act like we didn't play well, but we've got a lot to clean up, and we're just going to keep getting better."

ALSO READ: Khaman Maluach Builds Massive Dunk Lead Over Duke Opponents

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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