Duke basketball forward Matthew Hurt will return for his sophomore season

Matthew Hurt won’t be joining the list of departures from the Duke basketball program.

Hurt took to his Instagram page Thursday and said: “To all: I hope everyone is staying safe in these tough times and practicing social distancing. With that being said I’ll be returning for my sophomore year at Duke. Let’s run it back DUKE NATION.”

Hurt, a former five-star recruit, averaged 9.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in an inconsistent freshman season for the Blue Devils. The 6-foot-9 forward played all 31 games for Duke and was the team leader with 42 made 3-point baskets, shooting 39.3 percent from 3-point distance. He scored a season-high 25 points against Boston College.

Hurt’s decision came after Tre Jones, Vernon Carey Jr. and Cassius Stanley all announced they would leave early to enter the 2020 NBA Draft. Alex O’Connell also left the program and is transferring to Creighton.

Chip Alexander

The News & Observer

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In more than 40 years at The N&O, Chip Alexander has covered the N.C. State, UNC, Duke and East Carolina beats, and now is in his 15th season on the Carolina Hurricanes beat. Alexander, who has won numerous writing awards at the state and national level, covered the Hurricanes’ move to North Carolina in 1997 and was a part of The N&O’s coverage of the Canes’ 2006 Stanley Cup run.