Why Duke basketball's Dereck Lively might be the most dangerous player in March Madness
ORLANDO, Fla. — If you want to know what Dereck Lively means to Duke basketball, just ask junior captain Jeremy Roach and first-year head coach Jon Scheyer.
Following the Blue Devils’ 74-51 win against Oral Roberts in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at the Amway Center, Roach and Scheyer divulged the details about the influence of Duke's 7-foot-1 center.
Lively had four points (two dunks), six blocks and 12 rebounds against Oral Roberts. He had five of those swats in the first half, setting a single-game NCAA Tournament record by a Blue Devil freshman.
“Well, to be honest with you, it’s totally changed our team,” Scheyer said of Lively’s defense. “. … Really, the second half of the season, Dereck has been on an absolute tear.”
ROACH STAYS HOT:Duke basketball opens March Madness with win against Oral Roberts in NCAA Tournament
Scheyer went on to highlight Lively’s ability to guard on the perimeter, particularly the way Lively guards on the perimeter while possessing the skill to get back in the lane and protect the rim.
“I don’t know if there’s anybody else in the country that can do it like that,” Scheyer said.
Roach tied his career high with 23 points against the 12th-seeded Golden Eagles (30-5), but Lively made another strong case as to why Duke’s No. 1 recruit in the 2022 class could help the fifth-seeded Blue Devils (27-8) finish March Madness as the No. 1 team in 2023.
“That’s really why our team changed, for real – that 7-foot presence back there, altering shots, blocking shots,” Roach said.
Noting that Lively had to battle through a preseason calf injury, Roach couldn’t have been happier to see his teammate start to find consistency. Duke’s leader went on to say Lively is among the main reasons the Blue Devils have won 10 in a row.
“He’s the backbone of our team. He’s blocking shots, making shots tough for everybody,” Roach said. “When you go in there, you see a 7-foot guy who can jump out the gym, you’re definitely gonna think twice about going in there.”
Lively stepped into the national spotlight in Duke’s win against North Carolina in early February. On that night at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Lively swatted eight shots, the most by any Duke player against the Tar Heels.
“That’s something I take personally,” Lively said. “I just take the defensive side personally, because I know I can affect it in any way, shape or form.”
He hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, racking up 52 blocks over his last 17 games.
According to KenPom.com, Lively has the third-best block percentage (13) in the nation. Lively was one of only two players in the top 10 to make the NCAA Tournament. Duke eliminated the other one – Oral Roberts’ Connor Vandover – on Thursday night.
“I don’t think a lot of teams have faced a player like Dereck,” freshman guard Tyrese Proctor said. “He’s so tall, athletic and agile, I think he can do multiple things away from the ball and with the ball. I just think he’s just a huge key for our defense.”
It’s a weapon that could make Duke the most dangerous team in the tournament, a player capable of swinging a game without scoring a basket.
“This season I just accepted it as my role,” Lively said. “Being able to protect the house, backing up my teammates is just something I’ve accepted and just something I’ve tried to excel at.”
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Duke basketball's Dereck Lively makes Blue Devils dangerous in March Madness
