Senior Miles Plumlee and junior Ryan Kelly were named team captains for the 2011-12 Duke Blue Devils college basketball season, head coach Mike Krzyzewski announced on Tuesday.
“Miles and Ryan have really grown in our program and worked hard to put themselves in this position,” Krzyzewski said. “They have both been able to develop under some outstanding captains over the past couple of years and have prepared themselves to lead this year’s team. We are looking forward to watching them continue to emerge as leaders on and off the court.”
Plumlee (it wouldn’t be a Duke b-ball season without any Plumlees, get ready for Plumlee overload this winter) has played in 101 games with 41 starting assignments in his three seasons at Duke. He is averaging 4.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game with a .532 field goal percentage (173-of-325). The Warsaw, Ind., native averaged 4.8 points and 4.9 rebounds a year ago while helping the Blue Devils to a 32-5 record and a third straight ACC Championship.
Plumlee was named second team All-ACC Tournament after averaging 8.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in Charlotte. He had 14 offensive rebounds in Duke’s three wins, while also shooting .579 (11-of-19) from the field.
Kelly, a two-time ACC All-Academic Team selection, is averaging 4.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 72 career games (27 starts) for the Blue Devils. He came into his own last season, contributing 6.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game while playing in all 37 contests and making 27 starts.
The Blue Devils open the season on Friday, Oct. 14 with Countdown to Craziness. Duke will then play exhibition games against Bellarmine (Oct. 29) and Shaw (Nov. 2 ) before opening the regular season on Friday, Nov. 11 against Belmont.
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