Duke basketball star Tyrese Proctor has officially been ruled out for the clash with ACC rival Florida State. The Blue Devils have been monitoring the junior since he left the game against Miami with a concerning knee injury. Head coach Jon Scheyer’s team is looking to collect its 26th win overall and 17th in ACC play.
College Football Senior Writer for ESPN Pete Thamel revealed the fullest extent of the injury on College Gameday.
“Tyrese Proctor is out tonight against Florida State with a bone bruise in his knee. The good news for the Blue Devils is that Proctor’s injury is not considered structural. Jon Scheyer called it a pain tolerance issue this week. And he’s expected back for the late regular season and postseason for Duke.”
Tyrese Proctor is critical to the Blue Devils’ championship odds
As Proctor sits out Saturday night, freshman Isaiah Evans will be the likely starter for Jon Scheyer’s team. The former 5-star recruit has recently been on a hot streak for the Blue Devils, scoring 16 or more points in his last three games. Florida State is currently 16-12 and 7-10 in conference play. A recent ACC powerhouse, the Seminoles’ slide of the past few years is likely why Leonard Hamilton is resigning after this season.
Duke basketball likely won’t have much trouble dealing with Florida State at home without Proctor. However, the Sydney native’s presence on the floor will be critical as the Blue Devils gear up for a championship run. One of Duke’s greatest strengths this season has been its three-point efficiency. The team is shooting a staggering 39.1% from distance, which ranked sixth in the country. Proctor has a lot to do with that.
Tyrese is currently shooting 40.8% from behind the arc and has the second-most attempts from this range on the team. Duke basketball will need that come March to help space the floor for superstar freshman Cooper Flagg to attack the basket relentlessly.
In addition, Proctor brings a wealth of experience that will be vital in these future single-elimination games. The teams that generally make deep runs into March have at least one upperclassman guard who is an essential piece of their core. Even Duke’s last national championship team in 2015, which was composed of many freshmen, had then-senior Quinn Cook as a key contributor.
While Tyrese Proctor plays a very different role on this roster than Quinn Cook, he still provides a veteran presence that this team will need in tight NCAA Tournament contests. The junior guard already knows about some of the highs and lows that March can bring to a program. He’s hungry for a title and already counting the days until his return to the court.
The post Duke basketball’s Tyrese Proctor ruled out for Florida State clash appeared first on ClutchPoints.
