Coach K provides update on Trevor Keels’ injury status after Duke’s win over Syracuse
Trevor Keels missed Duke’s win over Syracuse Saturday and isn’t likely to be ready when the No. 6 Blue Devils return to action Tuesday against Clemson.
His right leg injury, though, doesn’t appear to be something that will keep him out much longer than that, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said.
“I don’t know if he’ll be ready for Tuesday,” Krzyzewski said, “but I don’t think it will be long term.”
A 6-5, 221-pound freshman guard, Keels had started all of Duke’s first 17 games. On Saturday, when the Blue Devils beat Syracuse 79-59 at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Keels was on the bench, in street clothes and out of Duke’s lineup for the first time this season.
Duke sophomore guard Jeremy Roach, Keels’ former high school teammate at Paul VI in Fairfax, Va., returned to the Blue Devils’ starting lineup with Keels out. He led Duke with nine assists, while making 2 of 10 shots to score six points, against Syracuse.
“I’m sure his head’s in a good spot,” Roach said of Keels. “He’s encouraging guys on the sideline. He’s doing whatever it takes to win. Trev, he’s not going to let this effective him at all. He’ll be ready over the next couple of games for sure.”
Krzyzewski said the evaluations of Keels’ calf injury, including an MRI, did not reveal a serious injury and treatments have been effective.
“Hopefully we can get Trevor back soon,” Krzyzewski said. “When he got hurt against Florida State, it looked like it would be, like, an amazing thing. He’s responded really well.”
After playing Clemson at home on Tuesday night, the Blue Devils hit the road to play at Louisville on Saturday before facing Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, on Monday night. Following those two games, the Blue Devils play the first of two games against rival North Carolina. The Feb. 5 game is at Chapel Hill.
Keels averages 11.9 points and 3.2 assists per game. He’s made 39.9% of his shots from the field, including 27 of 89 (30.3%) 3-pointers.
This story was originally published January 22, 2022 at 2:41 PM.