DURHAM, N.C. _ Freshmen guards Trevon Duval, Jordan Goldwire and Alex O'Connell all sat out Saturday due to "academic reasons," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said following the Blue Devils' exhibition game against Bowie State.
"It was all due to academics, tardiness and missing some classes," Krzyzewski said. "And that will be corrected right away, but that's why they are out."
He said the players will be back at practice on Monday. Duke announced Duval's one-game suspension on Friday but did not mention Goldwire and O'Connell's prior to the game. Krzyzewski said it all happened within the last 24 hours.
Duval, who is 6-3, 186 pounds, starts at point guard for Duke. Goldwire, a 6-2, 172-pound guard backs up Duval, and O'Connell, a 6-6, 171-pound guard, is one of Duke's sharpshooters.
Without those players, however, the Blue Devils had no problem taking care of business Saturday. They beat Bowie State, 116-53.
Krzyzewski didn't seem worried about the three guards.
"These kids have been a pleasure to coach, but a little momentary setback here, you know, it's like righting the ship," Krzyzewski said. "And understanding they're representing not just themselves and our basketball program, but they're representing, I think, the greatest university on this planet. And we all have to understand that we all have that honor."
Senior guard Grayson Allen said as a captain he should know everything that is happening on the team and keep it under control.
"Talking to those guys, we don't have a lot of upperclassmen, and a lot of it is that they just don't know," Allen said. "And it's on me as the captain as some of the other guys who have been here two or three years now to help them out."
Sophomore Marques Bolden said the same. He said he tries to tell his teammates all the things he wishes he knew during his freshman year.
"Just to come hard everyday and have a positive mindset," he said. "It's easier said than done the way we work here."
