How Duke’s Darren Harris made the most of his opportunity at Notre Dame
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- Darren Harris stayed prepared on Duke bench and seized rotation minutes vs Notre Dame.
- Harris hit key 3s and went 6‑for‑6 at the line to help Duke reach 100 points.
- Coach Scheyer praised Harris’s readiness and impact after being held out vs Michigan.
Duke’s Darren Harris has done his best to stay patient, to stay positive this season.
There have been games where he has bounced off the bench and provided some instant offense, and games when he has stayed seated on the bench much of the time.
The Michigan game, for one.
It was a marque matchup that had all the trappings. ESPN College GameDay rolled in with Jay Bilas, Jay Williams and the guys on the set, Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, was teeming with a Final Four energy and the national audience was huge.
And Harris, from nearby Herndon, Virginia, did not play. Not that the 6-5 sophomore did not revel in the Blue Devils’ 68-63 win over the Wolverines, one that propelled Duke to No. 1 in the AP poll this week.
“I can’t complain. I’m on the best team in the country,” Harris said after a career-best 16-point game Tuesday as Duke smacked Notre Dame, 100-56. “My job is to be ready, be professional.
“Obviously I was looking forward to the (Michigan) game. But, I mean, we won. I didn’t harp on it. Obviously, being back home for me, I was looking forward to the game, but we won the game, so obviously I’m not going to be mad.”
Harris got his chance at Notre Dame
With Duke rolling up a quick, big lead Tuesday, Devils coach Jon Scheyer could begin rotating players in and out. Harris had more than 17 minutes in playing time, making a pair of 3-pointers and going 6-for-6 at the line.
His final two foul shots gave the Devils their 100-point total, and had a large contingent of fans in blue shouting, “Let’s go Duke” Let’s go Duke!” at Notre Dame’s Purcell Pavilion.
“Every time I get out there, every practice, I just try to make the most out of it,” Harris said “When my name is called, I’m always going to be ready.
“Any time I get to go out there and play significant minutes, I try to take advantage of it. I was allowed to get in a rhythm and the ball was finding me, and I was doing the other things you need to do in a game.”
Harris was one of six Duke players to finish in double figures and one of eight to play 15 or more minutes. Cameron Boozer again led the way with 24 points and 13 rebounds, but Harris made the most of his playing opportunity, adding two steals and an assist.
“It was a big time game for him,” Boozer said. “We all know he’s capable of that. It’s about staying ready
“We trust him on the court for sure, and obviously he showed out tonight.”
Praise from Jon Scheyer
Scheyer had little but praise for Harris after the game. As the coach, it was his call not to use Harris in the Michigan game. As a former player, Scheyer knew how that had to feel, to have to sit in a national showcase game.
“Darren did a really nice job tonight,” Scheyer said. “I think that’s just the beauty of this team and I think it shows that I’m fortunate to coach some special guys.
“It’s easy to put your head down when you don’t play, and we talk about handling the situations you’re going to be in. That’s a part of college basketball. You may not play and you may not play as much.”
Harris’ minutes have fluctuated. He had two minutes in Duke’s recent home win over Clemson and seven minutes total in the Devils’ two West Coast wins against Cal and Stanford. His previous scoring high was 15 points in the November game against Army at West Point.
“When your number is called, it’s about what you do and how you respond,” Scheyer said. “Darren had some really nice moments tonight and gave us a really good lift.”
This story was originally published February 25, 2026 at 6:15 AM with the headline "How Duke’s Darren Harris made the most of his opportunity at Notre Dame."
