Scott Rich

This team is not the juggernaut of last year.

But this team is also 15-1.

This is a team that if they max out who they are, let's make no bones about it, if they max out who they are, they can cut down the nets in April.

But they're going to do that in a little bit of a different way.

They're going to have to max out who they are.

They're going to have to find the rotations, find the fit that came so nicely and fluidly last year that has been a bit more of a struggle this year.

And again, it's so much nicer to be able to learn those lessons and troubleshoot things and figure things out during wins rather than losses.

Duke is...

To be frank, been a little bit fortunate in some cases that that's been the case.

But it's notable to me that John Shire seems to recognize that.

He talked that way in the postgame after SMU.

He obviously sort of chose his words very carefully in response to your question yesterday in this media availability interview.

It's about maximizing this group and maximizing this group still means go win a national championship.

But it's going to look a little bit different.

And it's time for a Duke fans to recognize that and be for John Shire and these these this team to recognize that and figure out what it's going to take to maximize who they are.

You asked me a little bit ago who starts for Duke in the post.

I think the more interesting question is who starts for Duke on the perimeter.

It wouldn't shock me if we see Nick Kemenya back in the starting lineup tomorrow night.

If not starting, at least getting closer to starters minutes.

Because we saw against SMU a lot of the skills that John Shire was extolling in the preseason.