The bright lights haven’t bothered Jared McCain.
While other hyped freshmen have struggled in the NCAA Tournament, particularly the Kentucky one-and-done prospects, Duke’s young guard has thrived.
On Friday night, he played a key role in the fourth-seeded Blue Devils pulling away late from Vermont.
Sunday, he was even better.
Duke’s one freshman starter, McCain put on a memorable shooting display in the first half, delivering the knockout punch in his team’s 93-55 rout of No. 12 James Madison in a South Region second round game at Barclays Center.
His eight made 3-pointers set a program record in an NCAA Tournament game.
Shane Battier and JJ Redick share the regular season mark with nine.
The ACC powerhouse will meet the winner of No. 1 Houston and No. 9 Texas A&M in the Sweet 16 on Friday in Dallas.
McCain sank his first six 3-point attempts and scored 30 points, powering the rout.
After his sixth trey pushed the Blue Devils lead to 24 late in the first half, he shrugged his shoulders, a la Michael Jordan in the 1992 NBA Finals, as he jogged downcourt.
By halftime, he had 22 points — just three fewer than James Madison — and Duke had as many made 3-pointers (eight) as the Dukes had made field goals (eight).
Overall, Duke (26-8) went a blistering 14-of-28 from deep against the Dukes, who entered the contest sixth in the country defending the 3 (29.1 percent).
As a team, the Blue Devils shot 52.4 percent from the field.
Tyrese Proctor had 18 points and five assists, Jeremy Roach notched 15 points and six assists and Kyle Filipowski added 14 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Duke on Sunday. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
Terrence Edwards Jr. led JMU (32-4) with 13 points.
After a second-round loss last March in coach Jon Scheyer’s first season as Mike Krzyzewski’s replacement, Duke was determined to avoid a similar fate.
It talked about that motivation from that defeat to Tennessee after beating Vermont, and it certainly played like a team with something to prove.
This isn’t a team of freshmen stars.
Five of Duke’s top seven scorers were part of last year’s team, most notably Roach and sophomores Mark Mitchell, Filipowski and Proctor.
It took it to James Madison from the outset, building a 10-point lead just 5:03 in.
It would only get worse for the Dukes, who were coming off their first NCAA Tournament main draw win since 1983.
Duke led by 22 at halftime and by as many as 37 in a second half full of garbage time.
The Blue Devils weren’t challenged, having their way with the Sun Belt champion.
It has been a strange season of flying under the radar for Duke.
It played second fiddle to North Carolina in the ACC, swept by its bitter rival.
It was one-and-done in the ACC Tournament and wasn’t considered a major factor entering this tournament.
But after a dominant weekend in Brooklyn, Duke is back in the Sweet 16 for the fourth time since 2018.
