Jon Scheyer has begun an impressive tenure with the Duke basketball program, but the painful collapse in the Final Four marks the first instance in his career where he didn’t fully maximize his team’s potential.
In his first season as head coach, Scheyer successfully navigated the challenges of being a rookie coach, guiding the Blue Devils to an ACC Tournament Championship and an NCAA Tournament victory.
He faced a tough challenge in the Round of 32 against a seasoned and physical Tennessee team, missing key player Mark Mitchell due to injury. Despite this, it was still a promising start to his coaching career with a team that was, at best, expected to reach the second weekend of the tournament.
Last season, Duke experienced an up-and-down journey, with a setback in the postseason when they lost to NC State in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals. However, the team found its rhythm in the NCAA Tournament, aided by a few favorable circumstances.
After a win over Vermont, Duke faced No. 12 James Madison in the Round of 32 following their upset over Wisconsin. The Blue Devils’ victory over No. 1 Houston came with an asterisk, as Cougar guard Jamal Shead suffered an ankle injury in the first half and couldn’t return. Had he played, Duke likely would have lost and seen their season end there. Instead, they pulled off the upset, while NC State, the tournament’s Cinderella story, surprisingly advanced to the Elite 8 after securing a spot by winning the NCAA Tournament. NC State’s magical run continued.
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