Former Duke backcourt teammates Jon Scheyer and Greg Paulus are front and center Friday night on opposite benches as the Blue Devils host Niagara in the first-ever meeting between the programs.
The game is part of Duke’s Brotherhood Run, which pits the Blue Devils against teams coached by former players of the program.
Howard, coached by Duke alum Kenny Blakeney, is also participating in the weekend’s round robin. His team will face Niagara on Saturday and No. 5 Duke on Sunday.
Friday’s game pits the Blue Devils (5-0), guided by fourth-year coach Scheyer, against the Purple Eagles (2-2), led by Paulus, who is in his seventh season at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference school.
Duke rolled to a 78-66 victory over No. 24 Kansas on Tuesday night, passing its first test this season against a ranked team in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden.
Freshman Cameron Boozer had 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, all team highs, as the Blue Devils remained in control during the second half with a lead that hovered between three and 12 points.
“I thought he controlled the whole game and made key plays in key moments,” Scheyer said. “I think he would be the first to say there is so much more to him.”
After Kansas’ Melvin Council Jr. scored a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 67-64 with 5 minutes remaining, Council followed with a block from Boozer. But the Duke freshman scooped up the loose ball and threw down a slam dunk to spark a nine-point run that wrapped up the victory.
Isaiah Evans added a 3-pointer on the go-ahead run and finished with 16 points.
The Blue Devils committed just two turnovers in the second half and did not allow a field goal after Council’s 3. It was a positive step for a team that uses four freshmen and three sophomores in its nine-player rotation.
“We showed great response and great character,” Scheyer said. “I hope it gets prettier as it goes on. But really, I don’t care as long as we find a way to win and do the things we’ve talked about.”
Seeking a third straight victory Monday at LeMoyne, Niagara had a lead early in the second half, but the Purple Eagles failed to score a field goal with 5:58 left in the second half.
Niagara is led by Justin Page, who averages 13.8 points per game. Radford transfer Trenton Walters adds 10.3 points per game, while Reggie Prudhomme provides 9.3 points per game and a team-high 5.3 rebounds per game despite his modest 6-foot stature.
Scheyer and Paulus played in Duke’s backcourt for three years, starting in 2006-07, when Scheyer was a freshman and Paulus was a sophomore. In their final season together, they helped the Blue Devils win the 2009 ACC Tournament, with Scheyer winning the event’s MVP award.
“This experience for our university, our program and our team will be special,” Paulus said when the game was announced in June. “Duke is my home and the experience and people have shaped me as a person, leader and competitor.”
Duke set up Brotherhood Run in 2024 with an exhibition game against Arizona State and coach Bobby Hurley. Last month, in another preseason game, the Blue Devils hosted Central Florida and coach Johnny Dawkins.
–Field level media
