Duke ‘optimistic’ Proctor to return for next game

NEW YORK — Duke ran its winning streak to three games following Wednesday’s victory over Baylor — and more good news could be on the way with head coach Jon Scheyer saying afterward that star guard Tyrese Proctor could be nearing a return from injury.

Proctor has missed Duke’s past three games after suffering a sprained ankle in the opening minutes of the Blue Devils’ loss to Georgia Tech earlier this month.

Scheyer said that Proctor pushed to suit up on Wednesday, but he ultimately needed more time.

“He’s getting closer every day,” Scheyer said. “He really wanted to play in this game. It just wasn’t — he hasn’t practiced. He hasn’t done any 5-on-5. He was working to get back. We just collectively made the decision it’s not gonna happen. I feel optimistic, when we get back for our next game. He has to keep putting days together, but he’s progressing great.”

Duke’s next game is Dec. 30 at home against Queens before ACC play resumes Jan. 2 against Syracuse.

Despite Proctor’s injury, No. 21 Duke has won three straight following Wednesday’s 78-70 win over Baylor at Madison Square Garden.

In Proctor’s absence, freshman Jared McCain has stepped up to become a reliable perimeter scorer for the Blue Devils. He scored 21 points against the Bears, tying a career-high.

“There’s really no words to describe it,” McCain said. “I’m in New York at Christmas time. Going to see the Rockefeller tree tomorrow. It’s just a surreal moment. I visualize a lot of stuff. I visualized us coming into the locker room celebrating, and it happened. And there’s just no words to describe it. It’s amazing.”

McCain made the first basket of the game, then hit a couple of more jumpers to give Duke an early lead, before hitting a pair of crucial 3-pointers in the second half. He cut Baylor’s lead to one with 10:18 left and later hit a 3 to put the Blue Devils up seven with 4:03 left in what felt like a back-breaking moment for the Bears.

“I knew the corner man was either going to help or stay with me,” McCain said. “And he ended up helping, and it was a bad decision, and I was able to capitalize off of it. Credit my teammates. We worked tremendously these last two weeks on sharing the ball offensively, and I was just able to find my spots. I work on these shots everyday.”

In the first eight games of his career, the former five-star recruit averaged 7.6 points and made 13 total 3-pointers. In the past three games, all with Proctor sidelined, McCain is averaging 18.3 points with nine total 3-pointers.

“I feel like I’ve worked so hard for these moments, that when I get in the moments, I just trust my work,” he said. “Whether it’s my stamina, being in the gym late nights, early mornings. Being able to just be in those moments and embrace them. I’ve worked so hard for these moments, it’s the perfect time for me to just have fun out there.”

Meanwhile, No. 10 Baylor has dropped two games in a row after starting the season with nine straight wins.

“We still don’t execute what we need to win a game like this,” coach Scott Drew said. “The good thing is we got guys that want to get better and will get better throughout the year.”

The Bears will look to bounce back against Mississippi Valley State on Friday.