Duke Basketball: Early Storylines to Follow in Blue Devils' 2015-16 Season

Duke's 2015-16 season is only one week old, but already there are a number of storylines that have emerged and need to be monitored as the year progresses.

The Blue Devils are 2-1, having lost Tuesday to Kentucky in the Champions Classic, and they play Friday and Sunday against VCU and then either Georgetown or Wisconsin in the 2K Classic in New York City. In those games and upcoming contests with notable foes such as Indiana and Utah, their relatively inexperienced team will get tested quite often ahead of the ACC schedule.

We'll know more about this Duke team in a few weeks, but here's what has surfaced to this point.

Age Before Beauty

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Duke brought in seven freshmen this season to help fill up the roster after four starters graduated or turned pro. That includes some of the most highly rated prospects in the country such as guards Luke Kennard and Derryck Thornton, and forwards Brandon Ingram and Chase Jeter.

The Blue Devils also returned sophomore guard Grayson Allen, whose play in the Final Four prompted expectations he'd make a big splash this season, as well as sophomore transfer big man Sean Obi from Rice.

Yet so far it has been Duke's most veteran players who have carried the team, providing consistency and poise both in the blowout wins and the tough loss to Kentucky.

Seniors Amile Jefferson and Marshall Plumlee, and junior Matt Jones have started each game and have combined to average 40.3 points, 22.7 rebounds and 4.0 blocks. Plumlee and Jefferson kept Duke from getting blown out early against Kentucky, dominating the boards and scoring in bunches with putbacks, while Jones has been the only consistent outside scorer by making nine of 16 three-pointers.

As the year goes on, Duke should end up with more production from the younger players, though knowing its veterans can be counted on is an added bonus.

The Kentucky Loss Will Do More Good Than Harm

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The beauty of college basketball is that a single loss doesn't ruin a season, unless it happens to come in March during the NCAA tournament. Otherwise, the setback provides an opportunity to address issues and deficiencies that can often be masked by winning a game.

Duke's 74-63 loss to Kentucky in the Champions Classic was its largest margin of defeat since January, when it lost by double digits in consecutive games at North Carolina State and Miami (Florida). In that scenario, the Blue Devils didn't properly deal with their problem defending the ball after the NC State game and thus watched Miami torch the nets in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

After that, however, the Blue Devils adjusted their approach on defense and held six of the next seven opponents under 70 points.

It helps that Duke comes right back after the Kentucky game to face two more quality opponents, getting VCU on Friday and then either Wisconsin or Georgetown on Sunday in the 2K Classic in New York. Since one of the Blue Devils' flaws that came up against the Wildcats was their inability to adjust to an opponent's scheme, facing notable foes who can also test them right after this will allow for an instant chance to see how any adjustments have worked.

Frontcourt-Depth Watch

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As impressive as Amile Jefferson and Marshall Plumlee have been so far up front, it's not realistic to expect that pair to be the long-term answer. At some point, freshman forward Chase Jeter is going to need to contribute, while fellow freshman Brandon Ingram will need to show the ability to handle the 4 on the defensive end on occasion.

Ingram has not looked good defending so far, but with Duke's lack of depth in the frontcourt, he's going to have to spend some time closer to the basket. His 6'9", 190-pound frame might have trouble holding up against thicker opponents, but Duke doesn't have many other options.

Jeter, who was projected as a starter at the 4 or 5 coming into the season, has played 31 minutes in his three games and was on the court for only four minutes against Kentucky. In that brief appearance, he had three fouls and didn't take a shot.

Challenges to Home Winning Streak?

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The season-opening victories against Siena and Bryant upped Duke's nonconference home winning streak to 118 games, a run that dates back to 2000. Those early foes had no real shot to end the streak, but the Blue Devils' remaining non-league slate at Cameron Indoor Stadium features some real possibilities.

Indiana, which visits Durham on Dec. 2 for a Big Ten/ACC Challenge game, is 3-0 and has won each of its games in dominant fashion. The Hoosiers are shooting 56 percent from the field, including 42.7 percent on three-point attempts, making 35 threes so far, and hot-shooting teams often give Duke fits.

The Blue Devils' final non-league home game comes on Dec. 30, three days before they open ACC play at Boston College. Long Beach State had a losing record in 2014-15, but this season, it already has wins over BYU and Seton Hall thanks to a lineup that includes transfers from USC and Maryland. Senior guard Nick Faust averaged 8.3 points with Maryland in four games against Duke in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, including a pair of wins over the Blue Devils.

The Next Batch of Freshmen Is Even Better

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5-star Duke signee Harry Giles

The jury might still be out on this year's crop of star recruits, but that won't stop anyone from getting immensely excited about the prospects Duke has coming in for the 2016-17 season. With the early signing period ending on Nov. 18, the Blue Devils currently have the No. 2 recruiting class for 2016 (per 247Sports).

The four-man class features three 5-star players, including forwards Harry Giles and Jayson Tatum, who are the No. 2 and No. 4 players in 247Sports' composite rankings. Giles, a 6'10" power forward, injured his knee in November and is out for the rest of the season but is expected to make a full recovery before college begins.

The Blue Devils also signed 5-star point guard Frank Jackson and 4-star forward Javin DeLaurier, who at No. 39 overall is considered the worst of the incoming prospects.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.