Opening statement
I don’t have a whole lot to say other than for us it’s been back to work. Learned a lot from last night. We focused on all the things that we can control to do better, but for us it’s getting our minds ready for Game 2 against a really good TCU team that we’re excited about and ready to take the next step here.
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On communication, vibes being bad before and during game against Siena
When you really want to win very badly and you’re playing in the Tournament for the first time, it brings out emotions you can’t even prepare for. I think what happened to us yesterday, we got very inward. Our competitive spirit was not there where it needed to be.
You have to go into this thing as the aggressors. That’s why we’ve been really good and we’ve had the year that we’ve had. For us it’s all about getting back to ourselves, nothing other than doing what we’ve done, defending, rebounding, the whole thing.
Our talk and energy, I can tell you it will be back tomorrow. I know these guys, and it will be back the way it needs to be.
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On Patrick Ngongba’s injury status
We’re about to practice. I’m hopeful he’s going to be available for tomorrow. We’ll see what he can do in practice today. If all goes well, I know — he was itching to play yesterday.
Now, he hasn’t done what he needs to do in order to play, but if everything goes well, we’ll see him back in there.
Follow up on Ngongba
He needs to practice. He needs to just be on the floor and move the way that he needs to to be successful. He’s been ramping up and doing a really good job. We just want to make sure he’s feeling right to play at a high level. Not just to be out there, but to be him.
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On concerns about inserting Patrick back into the lineup and chemistry
We want Pat to be out there as much as he can. He’s a game changer for our team. He’s one of the most impactful players in the country.
I think what he does is not something that — again, I’m sure there will be some plays that he hasn’t played in a little while. I hate to call it rust, but I’m sure some things that he has to work through. But end of the day, he just changes the dynamic of our team where other guys aren’t playing out of position as much. We’re able to get a better rotation.
And you have a guy who’s a big-time rim threat. His passing, his pick-and-roll defense, his rim protection, he does a lot for our team that changes the dynamic of who we are.
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Again, we’ve done a great job of managing without him, stepping up. We have had seven really good players that have managed, but we need to become complete. That’s the thing that we want to do.
On Cayden Boozer stepping up
I just think it’s his composure in these moments. Whether you have the opportunity or not, to play in the ACC Tournament in the moments he’s been in, that kind of game like we had yesterday against Siena, you’re either wired for it or you’re not, and he is.
Then his ability to get downhill for us, we’ve personalized and changed a couple things that we do to try to put him in a better position, but he’s really the guy that’s made it happen. I just love the aggressiveness, but then also the composure that he’s had.
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On message to Isaiah Evans at halftime on Thursday
I love the fact that — like Isaiah felt — he took that to heart last night. He wasn’t himself in the first half. He just wasn’t. The impact that he’s made scoring and shooting has been there from day one, but he’s grown up as a player this year with his defense, his rebounding, and his energy. We were missing his energy in the first half.
You think about what he did in the second half, I thought his dunk, the left-handed dunk was the play that really got us going. So I was very direct with him, and we have that relationship, always going to be that way. Then for him after the game, I think that’s a great lesson of just, I know he’s going to come back in a much different way tomorrow.
On if TCU reminds him of any team in the ACC
Well, I’ve followed them from afar. You see them play certain games. When I first got here to Duke, Coach Dixon was at Pittsburgh. So very well aware of his style, the way he coaches. He has a hard-nosed team.
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I can’t say they’re just like a specific team. I think they’re a hard-nosed defense like Clemson is, except they’re more disruptive. They create a lot of turnovers. They do a really good job, though, and I’ve been very impressed to see the way they compete, to see how they really know where to be at all times. It’s going to be a really tough game against a well-coached team.
On Xavier Edmonds and David Punch
They’re really good. They’re versatile. They really crash the glass hard. They’re ball friendly. As big guys, their ability to step out on the perimeter and handle and pass.
But they’re best putting pressure on the rim. I think their versatility has been a big skill for them, and they make you work the whole game. You have to be in a stance guarding them, one-on-one defense. You have to guard them in the post. You have to guard them when the shot goes up. You’ve got to rebound it and finish off plays.
This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Everything Jon Scheyer said ahead of Duke’s game against TCU
