Jon Scheyer Says Quiet Part Out Loud About Major Duke Basketball Problem
In the high-stakes world of college basketball, where every possession can swing fortunes and legacies are built on defensive tenacity, Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer didn’t mince words following his team’s hard-fought victory over SMU on January 10, 2026. After watching his No. 6-ranked squad squeak out an 82-75 win against the No. 24 Mustangs at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Scheyer openly addressed what has become an increasingly glaring issue for the Blue Devils: their defense. “Collectively, it’s not there at the moment,” Scheyer admitted in his post-game press conference. “It’s hard to feel very good when they shoot 56 percent from the field all game.”bb888e This candid assessment, delivered with the frustration of a coach who knows his team is capable of more, highlights a problem that has quietly simmered beneath Duke’s impressive 15-1 start to the 2025-2026 season.
The game against SMU was a microcosm of Duke’s defensive woes. The Mustangs, entering the contest with a 12-3 record and fresh off their first AP Top 25 ranking since the 2016-17 season, jumped out to an early 11-0 lead, exploiting gaps in Duke’s man-to-man defense with sharp shooting and aggressive drives. SMU finished the night shooting an astonishing 56.6% from the field and 50% (11-of-22) from beyond the arc, numbers that would doom most teams. Yet, Duke managed to prevail thanks to a combination of offensive firepower and SMU’s costly 21 turnovers, which the Blue Devils converted into 21 points.fe1e2e Isaiah Evans led the charge with 21 points, including a dagger three-pointer with 1:15 remaining that pushed the lead to 76-70. Freshman sensation Cam Boozer added 18 points and key assists, while Patrick Ngongba II tied his career-high with 17 points, providing crucial interior presence.
Despite the win, which extended Duke’s home winning streak to 25 games and kept them undefeated at 4-0 in ACC play, the defensive lapses were impossible to ignore. SMU’s Jaden Toombs torched the Blue Devils for 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting, feasting on mismatches and poor rotations. The Mustangs scored 40 points in the second half alone, repeatedly getting open looks that forced Scheyer to call timeouts and make adjustments on the fly. “It’s been an issue,” Scheyer said bluntly when asked about his team’s inability to get consistent stops.5cc8e3 This wasn’t just a one-off; it’s part of a troubling trend that has seen Duke’s once-elite defense slip from national prominence.
At the outset of the season, through their first 10 games, the Blue Devils were a defensive juggernaut. They ranked in the top 10 nationally in several key categories, including opponent three-point percentage, holding foes to under 25% from deep in non-conference play. Opponents averaged just 65.2 points per game, and Duke’s adjusted defensive efficiency placed them among the elite in metrics like KenPom.2c5c94 Victories over powerhouses like Auburn and Kentucky showcased a team that swarmed ball-handlers, contested shots, and rebounded with ferocity. But as ACC competition ramped up, cracks began to appear. In recent outings, including narrow escapes against Florida State and now SMU, opponents have exploited Duke’s youth and inexperience.
Currently, Duke sits at 11th in national defensive efficiency with a rating of 0.919, according to TeamRankings.com.eafe6d That’s still respectable, but a far cry from their early-season form. More alarmingly, their opponent three-point percentage has ballooned to 31.1%, ranking them 73rd nationally—a statistic that Scheyer specifically called out after the SMU game.c26817 “There’s obviously things we’ve got to clean up and do better,” Scheyer explained. “To me, it’s mentality, and then obviously there’s some X’s and O’s strategic things that we’ve gotta help them with as coaches.”1c9ced This mix of mental toughness and tactical tweaks points to a team still finding its identity under Scheyer’s guidance.
Scheyer, now in his fourth season as head coach after succeeding the legendary Mike Krzyzewski in 2022, has faced immense pressure to maintain Duke’s storied tradition. His tenure began promisingly: a 27-9 record in his debut year, followed by Elite Eight appearances in 2023-24 and a Sweet 16 run last season. With a recruiting class headlined by the Boozer twins—Cam and Cayden, sons of former Duke and NBA star Carlos Boozer—expectations for 2025-26 were sky-high. Duke entered the year ranked No. 1 in preseason polls, boasting a roster blending five-star freshmen with veterans like Evans and Ngongba. Offensively, they’ve delivered, averaging over 85 points per game and shooting efficiently from all levels. But defense, long the hallmark of Duke’s success under Coach K, has become the Achilles’ heel.
Players echo Scheyer’s concerns but remain optimistic. Ngongba, who has emerged as a key big man, acknowledged the growing pains. “Whenever you have adjustments, you know you’re going to have mistakes,” he said post-game. “It’s something we’ve just got to keep working on to get better.”611159 The team’s youth—seven freshmen and sophomores see significant minutes—contributes to these inconsistencies. Rotations are still fluid, and communication breakdowns have led to easy buckets for opponents. Against SMU, who played without their leading scorer Boopie Moller (20.6 PPG, sidelined by illness), Duke should have dominated. Instead, they allowed the Mustangs to hang around, forcing a tense finish that included three instances where SMU cut the deficit to one possession in the final minutes.4bc8a8
The halftime ceremony added an emotional layer to the night, celebrating the 25th anniversary of Duke’s 2001 NCAA championship team. Krzyzewski, along with alumni Shane Battier, Carlos Boozer, Mike Dunleavy, and Jay Williams, were honored at midcourt—a reminder of the program’s defensive pedigree. Those squads were defined by grit and shutdown defense, qualities Scheyer is desperate to instill. “We have the talent,” one analyst noted, “but talent without discipline is wasted potential.”e91f68
Looking ahead, Duke faces a pivotal stretch. Their next game is a cross-country trip to face California on Wednesday, January 14, followed by matchups against Stanford and Pitt. The ACC, bolstered by new additions like SMU, Cal, and Stanford, is deeper than ever, with no easy nights. Scheyer’s comments could serve as a wake-up call, galvanizing the team to refocus on fundamentals like ball pressure, help defense, and rebounding. If addressed, these issues could propel Duke back to the top of defensive rankings and position them for a deep March run. But if ignored, they risk derailing what could be a championship-caliber season.
In saying the quiet part out loud, Scheyer isn’t panicking—he’s challenging. As Duke navigates the rigors of conference play, the basketball world will watch closely to see if this young squad can turn words into action. For a program synonymous with excellence, fixing the defense isn’t optional; it’s imperative. With the talent on hand and Scheyer’s proven track record, the Blue Devils have the tools to rebound. The question now is execution.
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