3/24/25
Duke defeats Baylor to advance to the Sweet 16.
A fairly even game through the first 15 minutes, but Duke took control after Baylor’s Norchad Omier picked up his 3rd foul with just under 5 minutes left, going on a 17-6 run to close the first half for a 47-30 lead. Duke was in control in the second half, closing out the game 89-66. Duke was red hot from the field, shooting 64.4% overall and 54.5% from beyond the arc. Duke also played outstanding defense, holding the Bears to 36.8% from the field. Tyrese Proctor continued his torrid streak, leading Duke with 25 points on 9-10 from the field, including 7-8 from three-point range. Through the first 2 games of the Tournament, Proctor is shooting 13-16 from deep. Cooper Flagg was outstanding as well, just missing a double-double with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Kon Knueppel had an efficient 12 points on 4-5 from the field and 2-3 from beyond the arc. Duke also got strong contributions from Patrick Ngongba and Caleb Foster off the bench, demonstrating the depth that ultimately wore down Baylor. Next stop Newark, New Jersey to face Arizona in the Sweet 16. Duke and Arizona played earlier this season in November, a game Duke won 69-55.
Tough to watch former Duke guard Jeremy Roach struggling with his emotions on the Baylor bench at the end of the game. He was a great contributor during his time at Duke and put in a great effort against his former team.
3/23/25 - Round 1
#1 seed Duke used a balanced attack and the return of Cooper Flagg to win its round of 64 matchup against #16 seed Mount Saint Mary’s 93-49. Duke took control of the game from the outset, allowing Duke to sub liberally and rest its starters. Flagg looked in good in his first game back from his ankle sprain that kept him out of all but the first few minutes of the ACC tournament, scoring 14, with 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks. Tyrese Proctor was outstanding for Duke, scoring 19 on 6-8 from three-point range. Caleb Foster had a strong game off the bench, scoring 12 on 4-5 from the field (3-4 from 3-point range) in 20 minutes. Khaman Maluach also had a solid game, scoring 11 on a perfect 5-5 from the field and 1-1 from the line. On to the round of 32 against Baylor, with Duke facing off against its former guard Jeremy Roach, who transferred to Baylor after playing 4 years for Duke.
3-16-25
ACC CHAMPS! Despite losing the likely Player of the Year Cooper Flagg and one of the best defenders in the ACC, Maliq Brown, for the remainder of the tournament in the first half of its opening game on Thursday against Georgia Tech, Duke showed its incredible depth and mettle in defeating Georgia Tech, UNC and Louisville to win the ACC Tournament. This is a great Duke team, with numerous players able to answer the call when needed. Few teams could weather the loss of a player like Flagg and win a single tournament game, much less three straight and the conference championship. Kon Knueppel was incredible, and Sion James, Tyrese Proctor, Khaman Maluach and the rest of the Duke team all made key contributions to earn Duke its 23rd ACC crown, and the 2nd in coach Jon Scheyer’s 3 years as Duke’s head coach. Along with the pleasure of cutting down the nets on Saturday, Duke announced that Cooper Flagg is expected to return for the NCAA Tournament. Hopefully Flagg is not slowed too much by the injury, as this team seems poised to make a deep tourney run as the #1 seed in the East Region.
Northwestern Coach Chris Collins demonstrated why everyone hates former Duke guards, complaining that the Big 10 purposefully placed Northwestern in a subpar hotel that he claims had no air conditioning for the Big 10 tournament. The nation’s outrage at the thought of some pampered Northwestern athletes having to stay in a regular hotel is palpable.
3/9/2025
Duke hosted Wake Forest in its final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Monday night. The name Cameron Indoor Stadium always struck me as funny - not a stadium, and of course it is indoors.
In what was likely a must-win game for Wake to keep its slim hopes of an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament alive, Duke routed the Demon Deacons, 93-60, clinching at least a share of the ACC regular season crown. Duke started ice-cold from the field, but after a tight first 10 minutes the route was on. Cooper Flagg lead the way for Duke with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in was surely the final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium for the projected No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Kon Knueppel had an outstanding game as well, scoring 17 points and adding 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Following his injury, Tyrese Proctor was back the starting lineup for Duke, a great sign as Duke prepares for the post season. Another tough end of the season for Wake, which has gone 2-4 in its last 6 games. Barring a deep run in the ACC tournament, Wake will likely miss March Madness for the 7th straight time. With the win, Duke finished its regular season with a 17-0 record at home and heads into Chapel Hill for its regular season finale with a chance to win the ACC regular season outright with a victory.
In its final regular season tilt, Duke traveled to Chapel Hill Saturday night to take on UNC. The Dean Dome was pumped, and RJ Davis – the ACC Player of the Year last year – was as well, scoring 15 first half points. Duke started off strong and built a 15-point lead, much of it with star Cooper Flagg on the bench with 2 early fouls. But, unlike their earlier game against Duke, the Tar Heels refused to fold. After Flagg picked up his 3rd first half foul with just over 3 minutes left in the first half, UNC and RJ Davis stormed back, going on a 10-2 run to cut the lead to 1 at the half. The Tar Heels continued their hot shooting and smothering defense to start the second half, going on 14-6 run to take a 7-point lead just 4 minutes in.
But then Duke coach Jon Scheyer through UNC a curve ball, switching defensive specialist and 6-9 forward Maliq Brown to guard RJ Davis. Brown shut down Davis, who did not score another point for the rest of the game. Duke took control from there, quieting the raucous UNC crowd and ruining senior night for the Heels, pulling away for a 13-point victory, 82-69. Kon Knueppel had an outstanding game, scoring 17 on 7-10 from the field, including 3-6 from beyond the arc. After a first half in which he was limited by fouls, Flagg had his typical strong second half, finishing the game with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks. Duke’s guards, Tyrese Proctor and Sion James, also had strong games, both scoring 16. Duke’s defense picked it up in the second half, limiting UNC to 32% from the field and 27% from behind the arc for the half. Credit Maliq Brown, who, in his first game back after separating his shoulder, not only shut down RJ Davis for the last 15 minutes of the game but added a pair of threes late to help Duke extend its lead. In addition to sweeping the regular season series with UNC, the win gave Duke the regular season ACC title and the #1 seed in the ACC tournament. A great win for Duke and tough defeat for UNC, which, although it has been playing its best basketball as of late, may need a couple of wins in the ACC tournament to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament.
3/2/2025
Another week, another couple of blowout victories for Duke. On Tuesday night, Duke thoroughly dominated a flailing Miami squad on the road at Coral Gables for a 97-60 win. Duke got strong games all around, as Kon Knueppel had 20 and Cooper Flag added 16. Freshman Isaiah Evans continued his strong play, scoring 16 and hitting 5-8 from three-point range. Caleb Foster also had another solid performance off the bench, 10 on 4-6 shooting in just 17 minutes of action. The biggest news, however, was the injury to Duke starting guard Tyrese Proctor, who left the game late in the first half with a leg injury and did not return. Proctor suffered a bone bruise, and, although he will be out for a while, the injury does not appear to be season ending. Although Duke has a deep bench, Proctor had been playing his best basketball at Duke as of late, and hopefully he will be back by the start of the NCAA tournament.
On Saturday night, Duke hosted Florida State and retiring coach Leonard Hamilton in his last game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke controlled play throughout, cruising to a 35 point victory, 100-65. However, the first half resembled more of brawl than a basketball game, with few fouls called and extremely physical play. Duke got a big scare when their star and Player of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg suffered an eye injury in the first half, requiring him to leave the game for the remainder of the half. Fortunately, the injury does not appear severe, as Flagg returned in the second half and scored 12 points, giving him 16 for the game, before retiring to the bench along with the other starters in the blowout win. Freshman Isaiah Evans, who got his first start of the season in place of the injured Tyrese Proctor, led the way for Duke with 19, although on an off night from the field, hitting just 6-17 shots. Again, Duke’s depth showed as its rotation went 9-deep even without Proctor and Maliq Brown, with Mason Gillis, Patrick Ngongba, Caleb Foster and Daren Harris getting significant minutes off the bench. Harris, a freshman, logged 17 minutes, by far his most this season, and played well, scoring 6 points and pulling down 4 boards.
Duke heads into the final week of the ACC regular season with a 17-1 record in conference play, but just a one game lead over both Clemson and Louisville. Duke’s final regular season game with rival North Carolina will likely hold added significance for both teams, as a win may secure the ACC regular season title for Duke, while a UNC win will secure the Tar Heels an NCAA tournament bid (although UNC’s strong play of late should earn it a place in the tournament regardless).
Robb's Funny: The phrase “I went to a fight and a basketball game broke out” aptly described Duke’s game with Florida State.
2/23/2025
Duke started its week with convincing road win over Virginia, 80-62. After a tight first 5 minutes, Duke took control and the outcome was never in doubt. Cooper Flagg had another double-double, scoring 17 and pulling down 14 rebounds. Kon Kneuppel also had a solid game, scoring 17 points and grabbing 7 boards. But the player of the game for Duke may have been freshman Isaiah Evans. The Slim Reaper scored 17 on 5-6 from 3-point range in just 22 minutes of actions. Showing improved defense, Evans’ development is a huge bonus for Duke heading into March, particularly with the injury suffered by Malik Brown, who separated his shoulder on a non-contact play during the game and looks to be out for a while. Even with Brown’s injury, Duke had a strong defensive game, holding Virginia to 39% shooting and 62 points. A solid road win heading into a big out of conference matchup with Illinois.
Duke played Illinois Saturday night at Madison Garden, Duke’s home away from home, looking to stretch its win streak at the Garden to 8 straight. In a game that should help solidify Duke’s position heading into the NCAA tournament and hopefully benefit the ACC as well, Duke thoroughly dominated Big Ten member Illinois, winning by 43 points, 110-67, in the nationally televised game. Putting on an offensive clinic, Duke scored on 70% of its possessions, with 28 assists and 7 players scoring in double figures. As the Illini’s coach noted in his post-game presser – “they whipped us in about every facet of the game.” Isaiah Evans had his second consecutive strong game, scoring 17 points on 5-8 from the field (3-5 from 3-point range) in just 18 minutes.
Perhaps the best moment of the game – one that demonstrates what makes this Duke team so special – is the entire bench (full of Duke’s starters) exploding to celebrate walk-on Spencer Hubbard’s 3-pointer. This Duke team’s comradery reminds you of what is so great about college sports, but sadly is something that is harder and harder to find in the modern era. Although it doesn’t mean that Duke will cut down the nets at the end of the NCAA tournament, it sure makes them more fun to watch and route for as they try.
Robb's Funny: In a sign that the Duke bandwagon might be big enough for everyone, Seth Greenburg effusively praises Duke following its latest win.
Robb Hellwig
2/16/2025
Duke rebounded from its first conference loss at Clemson with two impressive home wins over new ACC members a fellow academic powers Cal and Stanford. Duke hosted Cal on Wednesday night, riding hot shooting from Tyrese Proctor to jump out to a 15-point lead at the half, 38-23. Duke continued to stretch out its lead in the second half, with Cooper Flagg pumping in 14 of his game-high 27 points helping Duke stretch its lead to 26 before Cal star freshman Jeremiah Wilkinson got hot, scoring 17 second-half points as Duke lost a little focus on the defensive end. The outcome was never in doubt, however, as Duke finished with a 21-point victory, 78-57. Tyrese Proctor continued his run of productive games, finishing with 18 points and hitting 3-6 from deep. Proctor’s emergence on the offensive end and improved 3-point shooting bodes well for the tournament.
With Dick Vitale back in the booth, Duke continued its strong play at home on Saturday, blowing out Stanford 106-70. After Stanford tied the game at 13, the rout was on. Duke scored 49 in the first half and added 57 in the second. Tyrese Proctor turned in his 5th straight strong outing, scoring 23 on 9-13 from the field including 5-8 from 3-point range. Freshman phenom and national player of the year candidate Cooper Flagg had another typical outstanding game, adding 19 points and a game- high 6 assists (tied with teammate Sion James). And 7’2” freshman Khaman Maluach scored 17 on 8-9 from the field, with his only miss being a 3-point attempt. Adding to the balanced attack, Sion James had one of his best offensive games of the season, scoring 14 and adding 6 assists. Duke’s dominance was on full display, including a steal and fast break clinic, with 3 passes and not a single dribble once Duke crossed mid-court that ended with a thunderous alley-oop dunk by Flagg. An old school fast break.
With new members Cal and Stanford, the ACC more accurately refers to the “All Coast Conference” than the Atlantic Coast Conference for all but the most geographically challenged.
Although undoubtedly cementing the ACC’s preeminence academically, the recent additions have done nothing to stem the tide of dominance by the SEC and Big Ten in men’s hoops, with the ACC currently projected to get only 3 teams into the NCAA tournament, which I believe would be the smallest number of invites for the conference since the field expanded to 64 in 1985.
2/9/2025
Fresh off a beat down of archrival UNC, Duke faced off against Syracuse on Wednesday night. Duke started slow but then quickly took control on the road against the Orange. Duke employed a balanced attack in the first half, getting points from all of its starters. Behind outstanding defense – led by Maliq Brown, who transferred from Syracuse after last season – and some outstanding ball movement, Duke finished the half up 14. Duke stretched out the lead in the second half with outstanding ball movement and solid defense, coasting to a 29-point road win, 83-54. In his first game back at Syracuse after transferring to Duke, Brown had some beautiful passes to go along with steals, tips, rebounds and general disruptiveness to completely frustrate his former team. Brown finished the game with 6 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 block in 22 minutes – not a bad night’s work. Flagg had a pedestrian game, finishing with 11points on an efficient 4-7 from the field, including a fantastic highlight dunk in the second half. Freshman Isaiah “Slim” Evans continued his hot outside shooting, connecting on 2-4 three point attempts, and adding an impressive, gravity-defying dunk that brought the Duke bench, and even some of Syracuse crowd, to their feet. A dominant performance overall, as Duke shot 56.6% from the field and 39% from behind the arc.
Clemson Ends Duke 16 Game Win Streak and Perfect Run in the ACC
Dick Vitale made his return to broadcasting Saturday night when Duke visited Clemson in a matchup of two of the top teams in the ACC. Both teams started hot from the field, with Clemson hitting its first 6 shots and shooting a sizzling 68% from the field in the first half. Duke ended the half shooting 58% from the field, including 60% from 3-point range. Tyrese Proctor had a fantastic first half, scoring 16 points and going 3-5 from behind the arc. Kon Knueppel was also outstanding, scoring 11 on 3-4 from 3-point range.
But Clemson held Duke star Cooper Flagg in check, frustrating Flagg and limiting him to just 4 first half points. Duke led by 6 at the half, but Clemson came out strong in the second half, dominating play in the paint and building a 7 point lead midway through the second half. Flagg did not score in the second half until there were 6 minutes left in the game, but then went on a tear, scoring 14 points over a 5-minute stretch to give Duke a 71-70 lead with just under a minute left to play in possibly the most impressive individual 5-minute stretch in college basketball this season. But Clemson was too strong down the stretch and the game slipped away from Duke, literally, when Flagg fell on a wet spot on the court, turning the ball over with 14 seconds left and Duke trailing by 2. Clemson hit its free throws to finish off the game for a 77-71 win at home, handing Duke its 1st ACC loss of the season and ending Duke’s winning streak at 16 games. Clemson earned the win and was the better team, converting in the last minute when Duke could not.
Maybe time for Nike to go back to drawing board on the tread on Duke’s shoes. Between Zion Williams and now Cooper Flagg, time to get that fixed. Or maybe Flagg needs to sweat less. Perhaps Gatorade can come up with a new formula that reduces dehydration without causing sweat – now that would be something.
2/2/2025
Duke faced off against NC State on Monday night. Perhaps looking ahead to its Saturday matchup with UNC, Duke started slow, and the Wolfpack jumped out to a 35-22 lead before Duke woke up, ending the half on a 14-2 run to close the deficit to 4, 37-33. Duke continued its run to start the second half, outscoring NC State 10-0 to take a 6-point lead. The game stayed close after that, with NC State cutting Duke’s lead to 63-62 with just under 5 minutes to play. With its winning streak in jeopardy, Duke hit its free throws down the stretch and held State to just 3 points the rest of the game for a 10-point victory, 74-64. Cooper Flagg had another big game, scoring 28 and pulling down 7 boards, and Kon Knueppel added 19, but only shot 5-15 from the field. Duke shot the ball poorly overall, hitting only 39% from the field and a dismal 20% from behind the arc. Duke’s defense has continued to suffer in the absence of Maliq Brown, as the Wolfpack dominated Duke for portions of the game. A win is a win, but this one was not pretty.
Duke had the rest of the week to prepare for Saturday night’s game vs. UNC at Cameron and apparently figured some things out. Duke looked like a different team, overwhelming UNC from the opening tip and racing to a 40-13 lead with just over 5 minutes to go in the first half. Cooper Flagg and the entire Duke team ran circles around UNC, stretching the lead to 32 in the second half until losing focus and allowing the Tarheels to go on a late run and cut the lead to 16 in the before Duke closed out the game 87-70. The 17-point win was Duke’s second largest margin of victory against UNC in the last 13 years. Duke put on an offensive clinic, shooting 53% from the field and a staggering 50% from beyond the arc. Kon Knueppel led the way for Duke with 22 points, going 7-11 from the field, with 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Flagg had 21 points, 8 boards and 7 assists. Duke also got strong contributions from its starting guards, with Tyrese Proctor scoring 17 and Sion James adding 13 points. Maliq Brown – as pesky as static cling – returned to the court for Duke after missing the last several games due to an injury and had an immediate impact defensively, harassing UNC into a number errors. A big win for Duke in the rivalry game, stretching Duke’s winning streak to 15. The Tarheels, meanwhile, appear rudderless, having lost 4 of 5 and falling to 13-10 overall and 6-5 in the ACC. Absent a late season turnaround, the Tarheels are in danger of missing the NCAA tournament for the 2nd time in the last 3 years – not something that will sit well in Chapel Hill.
Robb's Funny: Jay Bilas likes to say “Duke-UNC, it always delivers”. This year, it delivered a game that was effectively over after 10 minutes and a half-hearted post-game defense by UNC coach Hubert Davis praising his team for not quitting when they were down 30. Perhaps the best thing were the signs from the Duke student section, one of which read simply “Renew Hubert Davis”.
1/26/2025
Duke had only one game this week, a road game Saturday at Wake Forest, who came into the game 7-1 in the ACC and having just beaten UNC. The game was physical from the start, with both teams looking disjointed on offense and neither shooting well. After more than six minutes, the teams had managed only 7 points combined, with Duke leading 5-2. Duke then got things going and pushed out to a 13-point lead at the half. Wake Forest came out strong to start the second half, dominating play on both ends of the court and outscoring Duke 17-1 to take a 3 point lead with just over 12 minutes to play, driving the sellout crowd at Joel Coliseum nuts.
Flustered by Wake’s defense and the rowdy Wake Forest student section, Duke couldn’t hit water from a boat and started the second half an abysmal 2-20 from the field. Gut check time for Duke, and they found a way to pass the test. Trailing 45-39 with just under 10 minutes to play, Duke held Wake to just two points over the next 7 minutes, outscoring the Demon Deacons 14-2 over that stretch to regain the lead by 6, then held on in the final few minutes for a 63-56 win. Cooper Flagg stepped up when Duke needed him, scoring 15 points in the second half, and Mason Gillis, who had an excellent game off the bench, hit a huge three pointer in the last minute to put Duke up 59-52 after Wake had gotten the lead back down to 4. Kon Knueppel added 15 points and hit 3 of 7 from deep. Rough game for Duke’s big man Khaman Maluach, who was exposed and thoroughly dominated by Wake’s center Efton Reid III. Maluach could not match the physical play of Wake, failing to score and managing just 3 rebounds while committing 4 fouls. All in all, a gritty road win that will certainly give Duke some things to work on in practice.
Robb's Funny: It may be time for Cooper Flagg to cut down on the spin move – it almost never works and often winds up with Flagg falling down. Reminds me of most of my high school dance moves.
1/19/2025
Duke remained undefeated in ACC play and stretched its winning streak to 12 games with victories over Miami and Boston College this week. On Tuesday, Duke dispatched a foundering Miami squad by 35, 89-54. Coming off his 42-point record setting performance against Notre Dame, Flagg was content to allow his Duke teammates to carry the scoring load against the Canes. Kon Knueppel obliged, scoring a season high 25, going 9-11 from the field, including a sizzling 6-8 from 3-point range. Khaman Maluach had an outstanding game as well, notching a double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds. Flagg added 13 points and led the team with 6 assists. All in all, an impressive home victory from Duke.
Duke went on the road to Boston College Saturday night in a matchup of my alma mater and my oldest daughter’s current mater. The Cooper Flagg effect was in full effect in Chestnut Hill, as the Maine product’s closest game to home resulted in Boston College’s first sellout of the season, replacing hockey as BC’s favorite winter sport - at least for a night. A raucous student section, replete with a few particularly spirited students donning eagle onesies, filled Conte Forum.
Buoyed by the full house, the Eagles quickly got the sellout crowd going, dominating the paint and controlling play en route to an early 18-11 lead. Duke then began to clamp down on defense and, after overcoming some early games nerves in front of so many family and friends, Flagg settled in, pumping in 15 first half points. Buttressed by some hot outside shooting from Tyrese Proctor, Duke finished the first half with on a 29-16 run for a 40-34 lead. BC hung with Duke to start the second half, but Duke began to pull away behind strong defense, finishing with a solid 88-63 victory on the road. Flagg did not disappoint the fans that made the trek from Maine, finishing with 28 points, his second highest total of the season. Proctor added 20 and Duke’s microwave from the outside, freshman Isiah Evans, added 16 points in 21 minutes on 4-9 from beyond the arc. Fortunately, the evening was not a complete loss for the BC faithful, as the #2 ranked men’s hockey team completed a back-to-back sweep of #6 Providence, beating the Friars on their home ice 4-1.
1/12/2025
This week was the Cooper Flagg highlight reel at Duke. On Tuesday night, Flagg notched another double-double, scoring 19, grabbing 10 rebounds and adding 5 assists in Duke’s 76-49 victory over Pitt. Flagg got plenty of support from his teammates, with all five of Duke’s starters scoring in double figures. Knueppel pumped in 17, Proctor added 13, Sion James scored 10 and Khaman Maluach nearly had a double-double, scoring 11 and adding 8 boards.
Flagg did most of his damage in the second half, as he spent significant time on the bench on the first half after picking up 2 early fouls. He came out inspired in the second half, dominating on both ends of the court and adding a Sports Center highlight coast-coast dunk over Pitt 7 foot center Guillermo Diaz Graham that sent the Cameron Crazies completely nuts.
But perhaps the most impressive thing about the game was Duke’s defense in the second half, which held Pitt scoreless for the last 8 minutes of the game as Duke pulled away for a 29-point victory.
Flagg outdid himself Saturday against Notre Dame, scoring an ACC freshman-record 42 points in Duke’s 76-68 victory at home over Notre Dame. Flagg shot 11-14 from the field, 4-6 of 3-point range, and 16-17 from the foul line. A truly incredible game. Duke center Khaman Maluach continued his improved play, adding a double-double, scoring 19 and pulling down 10 boards. Knueppel added 13, but the rest of Duke’s team seemed to be watching Flagg as much as the Duke fans, as no one scored more than 4 points.
And although Duke won by 8, it squandered at 18-point lead at home in the last 4 minutes, allowing Notre Dame to get within 4 points with less than a minute to play – a near complete defensive collapse. Hampered by the loss of defensive specialist Maliq Brown, who left the game in the first half with a knee injury, Duke allowed the Irish to shoot nearly 48% from the field and a staggering 58% from behind the arc. Hopefully a good wakeup call for the team about playing hard the whole game. And let’s hope Brown’s injury is only minor. He’s been great for Duke this year.
Former Duke player and ESPN announcer Jay Bilas referred to Flagg as the best export from Maine since lobster. High praise/hyperbole. But let’s not forgot the great Maine microbreweries. The Allagash Brewing Company based in Portland, Maine makes a mean pale ale. Seems like a prime NIL opportunity – but maybe not until Flagg turns 21.
1/5/2025
Duke continued its strong defensive play and rode hot outside shooting and outstanding back-to-back efforts from its freshman phenom Cooper Flagg to post two 20+ victories over the past week. On New Year’s Eve, Duke hosted Virginia Tech at Cameron. After a slow start, Duke got hot from behind arc and Cooper Flagg pumped in 14 first-half points to give Duke a 10-point halftime lead. Duke poured in on after the break, quickly expanding its lead and cruising to a 23-point victory, 88-65, in its first home ACC game of the season. Duke used a balanced attack, with six players scoring 10 or more points. Flagg finished with 24 points and Sion James had a double-double, contributing 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Freshman Isaiah Evans continued his torrid outside shooting, scoring 12 on 4-7 from behind the arc in just over 17 minutes of court time. Evans has quietly emerged as one of the top 3-point shooters in the country, hitting 52% of his attempts from behind the arc - a true weapon from the outside that Duke has lacked in recent years.
On Saturday, Duke used stifling defense and another double-double from Cooper Flagg to dismantle a strong SMU squad for an 89-62 victory. Perhaps its most complete game of the season, Duke stymied SMU on its home court, holding the Mustangs to 34% from the field and just 24% from behind the arc and snapping SMU’s 7-game win streak in the process. Flagg scored 24 points for the second straight game, pulling down 11 boards and adding 3 assists and 2 blocks.
Tyrese Proctor and Kon Knueppel added 14 points each, combing to hit 7-15 from 3-point range. Caleb Foster had a strong effort off the bench, scoring 9 points on 4-6 from the field in 17 minutes, and Mason Gillis continued his resurgence, adding 7 points. After a disappointing start to the season, Gillis has come on lately, giving Duke another offensive option, not to mention strong defense, off the bench. Duke’s 9-man rotation is its deepest in years, providing Duke the ability to apply strong defensive pressure throughout the game. Duke has now won 8 straight games.
As per usual over winter break, Duke opened up the seating typically reserved for Cameron Crazies to paying fans, filling up Cameron for the Virginia Tech game. Those added receipts will come in handy given the reported $8 million NIL payday that Duke used to entice Darian Mensah to become its next quarterback. If Duke is coughing up that kind of cash for football, can’t imagine what kind of money the SEC schools will be handing out. Things have come a long way from the enhanced training table days.
12/22/2024
Defense was the name of the game for Duke this week. Following a week off for finals, Duke played George Mason at home Tuesday night in a battle of two strong defense teams. George Mason kept it tight for most of the first half, holding Duke to 25 points on just 27% from the field. Duke’s defense was even better, limiting George Mason to 16 points on 21% shooting from the field, and Duke went into halftime with a 9-point lead. Duke managed to find its offensive rhythm in the second half, hitting more than 50% from the field and scoring 43 points to pull away for a 68-47 victory. Freshman phenom Cooper Flagg led the way for Duke, scoring 24, pulling down 9 rebounds and adding 4 assists, narrowly missing another double-double. But defense was the star of the game for Duke, limiting George Mason to 29% from the field and forcing 13 turnovers.
Duke’s defense continued to shine in a road game against Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Saturday, with Duke holding the Yellow Jackets to just 36.2% from the field en route to an impressive 82-56 victory. Kon Knueppel was outstanding for Duke, leading the way with 18 points, hitting 7-11 from the field including 4-8 from 3-point range. Khaman Maluach took advantage of his height advantage inside, scoring 15 and pulling down 8 rebounds, 6 on the offensive end. Freshman Isiah Evans continued his outstanding outside shooting, hitting 2-3 from beyond the arc. For the season, Evans is knocking down just over 51% from 3-point range. Solid overall team effort from Duke, who managed the 26-point victory despite Cooper Flagg scoring only 13 points. Duke’s deep rotation and consistent defensive effort gives this team a chance to make a real run in March.
On a side-note, Tech’s coliseum is becoming a home away from home for Duke, with the Atlanta Duke alumni showing up in force. Guess all those smart engineering alumns from Tech would rather reap a profit selling their tickets on Stub Hub than fill the seats with yellow and black.
12/15/2024
Duke began the week heading into exams with a road test against an improving Louisville squad. Duke’s pattern of slow starts continued, with a disjointed offense and little defensive intensity. Louisville took advantage, jumping on Duke early and stretching its lead to 14 with 7 minutes left in the first half before Duke ratcheted up its defensive intensity, holding Louisville to just 7 points the rest of the half and cutting the deficit to 37-33 at the half. Duke evened the score at 55-55 midway through the second half and then went on a 21-10 run to close out the game for a 76-65 road win. Again, Duke showed resilience on the road, with an impressive finish the last 10 minutes predicated upon a more-balanced offensive approach that was not overly reliant upon 3 pointers. Cooper Flagg had a strong second half on the way to another double-double, scoring 20 and pulling down 12 rebounds. Duke got another strong game from Sion James, starting his third straight game, and the usual outstanding effort from Maliq Brown. Although always good to start the conference schedule with a win, particularly on the road, Duke needs to correct its propensity to settle for 3s and focus on establishing a balanced offense early in games to avoid the repeated slow starts.
Duke defeated Incarnate Word at Cameron Indoor 72-46 on Tuesday night. The final score, however, was somewhat deceiving, as Incarnate Word gave Duke all it wanted in the first half. Duke used its height advantage to take a 7-point lead into halftime, relying repeatedly on 7’2” freshman Khaman Maluach. Duke went on a 30-9 run in the second half to put the game out of reach. Maluach led the way for Duke, scoring a season-high 17 points. Overall, an uninspiring effort over all from the Blue Devils.
The highlight of the evening involved Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah, one of the top-rated players in the transfer portal, enjoying the game with the Cameron Crazies. Probably the first time a football recruit stole the show in Cameron. In a feat of marketing genius that would have made Don Draper proud, Duke managed to turn lackluster hoops play into an effective football recruiting tool. Mensah committed to Duke the next day.
12/7/2024
Duke hosted #2 Auburn in the final game of the SEC/ACC Challenge Wednesday night. Another slow start for Duke and hot shooting by Auburn resulted in a 13-2 lead for Auburn to start the game. Then Isaiah Evans got on the court and caught fire, going 6-8 from three-point range in just 11 first-half minutes. A McDonald’s All-American in high school, the wiry freshman Evans (nicknamed the “Slim Reaper” by Duke’s student paper) has barely seen the court this year, but that should change. Duke also turned up its defensive pressure, forcing Auburn to work for their shots every trip down the Court. Maliq Brown continued his dominating defense, frustrating Auburn’s star Johni Broome and holding him to only 5 points in the first half. Riding Evans’ hot shooting and its defense, Duke took a 7-point lead into the half. Although held in check scoring wise, Cooper Flagg was a rebounding force in the 1st half and doled out several assists, demonstrating his ability to influence a game in multiple ways.
Duke surged to a 12-point lead in the opening 2 minutes of the second half, and could have extended the lead further if it had made its free throws. Missed opportunity. Auburn started to pull its way back, ratcheting up its defensive intensity and Broome finding his offensive rhythm. Flagg started to heat up offensively as well, and both stars led their teams in the second half. After Auburn cut Duke’s lead to 2 with just over 5 minutes left, Tyrese Proctor hit a huge 3 as the shot clock expired to extend the Duke lead to 5 – probably the biggest shot of the game. In a reversal of its late-game failures against Kentucky and Kansas, Duke held on from there, getting some defensive stops and hitting its free throws down the stretch to hold on for a 6-point victory, 84-78.
In addition to the outstanding game by Flagg, Duke got strong performances from Proctor, Sion James, and Maliq Brown, a shut-down defender. Caleb Foster, who didn’t start for the first time this season, contributed some much-needed scoring with 11 points. Very impressive win for Duke. Auburn was undefeated and probably the most dominant team in the country heading into the game, with wins over Houston, Iowa State and North Carolina. Along with Broome, Auburn’s freshman Pettiford was fantastic, hitting a number of key 3s to keep Auburn close. Bruce Pearl has a great squad, with all the pieces to make a deep run in March. Duke should gain some confidence from this win.
The SEC obliterated the ACC in the 2-night slate of games, winning 14 of 16. I had to laugh when the ACC ran a commercial during the game touting the ACC as the premier conference in college basketball. Talk about your alternative facts.
11/30/2024
Duke put in a strong effort but suffered a tough loss against No. 1 Kansas on Tuesday night. Despite falling behind 16-3 to start the game and scoring only 20 points in the first 15 minutes of the 1st half, Duke fought back to trail by just 2, 41-39, at halftime. After another Kansas run early in the second half, Duke clawed its way back and the second half was tight until the very end. Late game turnovers again proved costly for the Blue Devils, with Duke turning the ball over on successive trips down the court in the final minute. Good execution and an excellent play call allowed Kon Knueppel to get off a last-second three pointer at the buzzer that could have tied the game, but it bounced off the rim and Kansas held on for a 75-72 victory.
Both teams had some challenges. Kansas played the last 10 minutes without its star center Hunter Dickinson, who was ejected after a video review for kicking Maliq Brown in the head after the two got tangled up fighting for a rebound and fell to the ground. The ejection struck me as a little harsh - probably could have been called a Flagrant 1. Kansas freshman Flory Bidunga filled in nicely in Dickinson’s absence, and Rylan Griffin was huge for the Jayhawks down the stretch. Duke struggled for large portions of the game with Kansas’s physical play and aggressive double-teams, but got an outstanding defensive effort along with some timely offense from Maliq Brown. Tyrese Proctor helped keep Duke in the game with strong outside shooting, hitting 5-7 from 3-point range, and Flagg, after being held in check in the first half, had a strong second half. Scheyer had one of his better coaching performances at Duke, employing a highly effective offensive scheme with Knueppel running the offense from the top of the key for a good portion of the second half. Good in-game adjustment.
In a curious note, the scoreboard malfunctioned during the first half and stopped showing the score in the arena. Whoever made that prop bet may have been the biggest winner that night. Only in Vegas.
Duke shook off the Kansas loss and the standard Thanksgiving food coma with a 70-48 win at on Friday night at home against the Seattle University Redhawks. Solid win after a lot of travel and the physical toll of the Kansas game. Duke continues its brutal early-season schedule with a match up against undefeated No. 4 Auburn (likely No. 2 after new rankings released) in the SEC/ACC challenge on Tuesday night.
11-24-24
Duke picked up a nice win on the road against a talented Arizona squad on Friday night. Although shooting just 42% from the field, 63% from the free throw line and committing 14 turnovers, Duke managed a 14-point win before a raucous Arizona crowd. Wasn’t a work of art – Duke at times settled for too many three pointers with little or no attempt to drive or get the ball into the post. Things began to improve as Duke began to drive and look for opportunities inside. Cooper Flagg, the highly-touted freshman, was outstanding. Sion James had a strong game, and Kon Knueppel, another freshman, came on in the second half after being shut down by Arizona’s defense in the first half.
The real difference in the game was Duke’s defense, which held Arizona to only 55 points, 40 points below its season average. It was a true team effort, with Duke applying good ball pressure, contesting the passing lanes and crashing the glass, outrebounding Arizona, one of the best rebounding teams in the country, 43-30. Hopefully this will continue, as Duke’s defense – once it’s calling card – has been a weakness in the one and done era, with teams often disjointed, out of position and unable to get stops when needed. Duke will need another stellar defensive effort to have a chance against No. 1 Kansas, its next opponent.
As an aside, Duke flew out to Arizona on Tuesday – 3 days before a game that started at 8:30 pm Friday evening. Understand it’s a long flight from Durham to Tuscon, but come on. Is it really that hard for a bunch of 19-22 year olds to adjust to a 2-hour time change? Maybe the next time I need to head out of town for work I’ll tell my client that I need to leave 3 days early and stay at an expensive hotel to get acclimated to the new time zone.
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