DURHAM, N.C. – Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski announced that senior guard DeMarcus Nelson was named team captain for the 2007-08 season. Nelson, the lone senior on the Duke roster, was also a team captain last season when he averaged a team-best 14.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while earning ACC honorable mention accolades.
“As our only senior and four-year letterwinner, DeMarcus [Nelson] has grown into quite a leader,” said Krzyzewski. “This has been recognized by his teammates and coaches, so instead of having multiple leaders we are looking for DeMarcus to do that on his own this year. We are all really excited for him.”
Nelson, an ACC Coaches’ All-Defensive Team pick, finished his junior campaign 18th in the ACC in scoring (14.1 ppg.) and tied for seventh in field goal percentage (.478, 174-of-364). The Elk Grove, Calif., native also led Duke in scoring, field goals (174) and steals (44), while finishing second on the team in rebounds (5.4 rpg.) and dunks (34). Nelson was one of two guards in the ACC to average over 5.0 rebounds per game in 2006-07.
For his career, the 6-4, 200-pound guard is averaging 9.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Nelson, who has played in 90 career games, is shooting .453 from the floor (301-of-664) and .367 from three-point distance (84-of-229). With 842 career points, he is 158 points shy of becoming the 55th player in Duke history to top the 1,000-point plateau. Duke ranks third all-time on the list of 1,000-point scorers, trailing only North Carolina and Louisville.
Duke opens practice on Oct. 12 with exhibition play beginning on Oct. 27 at 7:00 p.m. with the annual Blue-White Game. The Blue Devils will also play exhibition games against Shaw (Nov. 1) and Barton College (No. 3) before opening the regular season on Friday, Nov. 9 at 7:00 p.m. against N.C. Central.l.
