Duke’s Hidden Gem? Freshman Star Finally Breaks Out in Dominant Win

There were major expectations placed on Dame Sarr as he began his first season with the Duke basketball program, but everyone knew he would be a work in progress.

Even with prior professional experience overseas with Barcelona, adjusting to the pace and physicality of college basketball is something every player must face. For Sarr, that learning curve was evident in the opening games of the season — he scored a total of just 10 points and went 0-for-4 from the field against Western Carolina.

However, things began to click on Tuesday night in Duke’s 114–59 rout of Army, as Sarr led the team with 19 points on an impressive 6-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-5 from three-point range.

Afterward, Sarr credited his defensive mindset as the key to unlocking his performance.

I think last game I wasn’t so aggressive on defense. After talking with the coaches, that’s not who I am,” Sarr explained. “So today, I just wanted to bring myself, be aggressive on defense, and everything else came together.

Whenever I’m focused on defense, everything else comes by itself. I didn’t try to force it — it just came. And that’s what I’m trying to do every time.

In addition to his scoring, Sarr grabbed three rebounds and recorded three steals, tying for the team lead. It marked the second time this season he’s had three steals, also achieving the feat in Duke’s season-opening win over Texas.

Head coach Jon Scheyer praised the freshman’s growth and ability to bounce back.

I think Dame has really felt the journey you can be on as a freshman already,” Scheyer said. “He was upset with the way he played the last game, but he came back and showed what he’s capable of. That says a lot about his character.

His ability to really guard stands out, but we’ve known the offensive potential that’s there as well. Tonight, he had it going on both ends.

The Blue Devils’ schedule toughens soon, as Duke hosts Indiana State on Friday night (7:00 p.m. ET, ACC Network) before heading back to New York for the Champions Classic matchup against No. 25 Kansas at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night (9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN).