Duke Suspends Grayson Allen Indefinitely After Third Tripping Incident

Photo by Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images(DURHAM, N.C.) — Duke University has suspended starting point guard Grayson Allen indefinitely after he tripped an opponent in the team’s Wednesday night game.

Head basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski said Thursday in a statement that the coaching staff “had the opportunity to thoroughly review the incident” overnight and that Allen’s actions were “unacceptable and inexcusable.”

While Allen apologized in person on Wednesday to the player, Elon’s Steven Santa Ana and Elon head coach Matt Matheny, Krzyzewski said that “as a program, we needed to take further steps regarding his actions that do not meet the standards of Duke basketball.”

Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford released a statement Thursday offering support for the suspension, calling sportsmanship “one of the core values of our league.”

Duke’s next game is the first of its conference slate, against Virginia Tech on December 31.

Allen’s trip was the third time he has done so in the past year. He tripped Louisville’s Ray Spalding on February 8 of last season and Florida State’s Xavier Rathan-Mayes just 17 days later.

During the preseason, Allen told ESPN that those incidents were mistakes and that he regretted them. “I think I’m a lot more mature now,” he said at the time.

After Allen stuck his leg out to trip Santa Ana in Wednesday’s game, he was given a technical foul. Allen reacted emotionally on the team bench after the decision. Elon proceeded to finish the half on an 11-2 run. Still, Duke went on to win 72-61.

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