As 2024 comes to a close, The Chronicle’s sports department is reviewing the biggest moments from this year in Duke athletics.
At No. 3: In head coach Jon Scheyer’s second year at the helm, the Blue Devils advanced to the Elite Eight after three impressive victories against Vermont, James Madison and Houston:
Duke’s 2024 March Madness run almost made it to April.
The Blue Devils entered the NCAA Tournament as an uncertain No. 4-seed in the South Region. Jon Scheyer’s squad was reeling from back-to-back losses — an 84-79 throttle by North Carolina and a stunning 74-69 upset by N.C. State in the ACC quarterfinals — that left many fans questioning the likelihood of a deep postseason run. Though the team had shown glimmers of success throughout the season, its 24-8 record included several painful defeats against ranked opponents.
Duke still promised a dangerous tournament showing. Sophomore Kyle Filipowski had spent the season dominating the frontcourt with his physicality. Freshman sensation Jared McCain shot reliably well from beyond the arc. Junior Mark Mitchell had found recent rhythm as a slasher, and senior guard Jeremy Roach offered steadiness and experience on top of solid stats. As the Blue Devils traveled to Brooklyn for their first tournament game, they were determined to prove the doubters wrong.
The Round of 64 saw Duke pitted against No. 13-seed Vermont. In stark contrast to the Blue Devils’ conference woes, the Catamounts boasted a fresh America East title and 10-game win streak. Both teams walked onto the floor of Barclays Center looking to prove a new mettle.
With tipoff, the tournament began.
Vermont trailed closely behind Duke for much of the first half, despite early foul trouble that offered the Blue Devils an eventual 20-for-29 at the charity stripe. Durham’s squad soon found momentum as four starters hit double-digit points. Filiposwki, Roach, Mitchell and Tyrese Proctor led the way in a 64-47 victory, assuaging fears of a first-round upset.
No. 5-seed Wisconsin wasn’t quite so lucky, and Duke found itself up against No. 12-seed James Madison in the tournament’s second round. The 32-3 Dukes seemed like bonafide Cinderellas, and they promised the Blue Devils a tough game.
McCain had no qualms. The freshman guard shot his way past Duke’s single-game 3-point record en route to a 93-55 victory, delivering eight treys and a monstrous 30 points on the night. With 22 assists and 21 second-chance points, Scheyer’s squad made its first Sweet 16 on the back of strong communication and confidence.
Duke would still need all the forward momentum it could muster. The Blue Devils were headed to Dallas for a game against No. 1-seed Houston, and the Cougars were regional favorites for a reason.
Durham’s team stepped up to the defensive challenge, and the contest proved scrappy and low-scoring on both ends. Houston jumped to a quick 6-0 lead, but graduate center Ryan Young recorded a +12 plus/minus on the half to put the Blue Devils back on track. Filipowski also emerged as an offensive firecracker in the second to keep his team narrowly ahead. It all came down to Duke needing a stop in the final 15 seconds — and Proctor delivered to seal a 54-51 win.
Thanks to what Scheyer called “a big-time college basketball game,” the Blue Devils had made it to the Elite Eight. They would face No.11-seed N.C. State in the South Regional Final.
Duke’s recent loss to the Wolfpack lingered over the contest. Could the Blue Devils exact revenge after their elimination from the ACC tournament, or would they face another premature exit at the hands of a Tobacco Road opponent?
With Houston out of the mix, Dallas’ American Airlines Center wasn’t quite as antagonistic. Duke went into the half up by six, and a rewrite of its conference woes seemed possible. Then the Wolfpack scored 27 in the first 12 minutes of the second, and the Blue Devils fell irreparably behind. No longer able to control the game’s pace or limit scoring from DJ Burns — who posted a whopping 29 points — Duke found itself on the wrong side of a 76-64 final score.
The team returned to Durham just short of Scheyer’s first Final Four appearance as a head coach, but it had plenty to be proud of: a relentless defense, well-rounded offensive contributions and admirable mental fortitude. As March came to a close, so did another strong chapter in Duke basketball history.
The team went its separate ways when the offseason began. McCain and Filipowski declared for the 2024 NBA Draft, while seven players — Mitchell, Roach, Christian Reeves, Jaylen Blakes, Jaden Schutt, TJ Power, and Sean Stewart — beelined to the transfer portal. Of the non-graduating Blue Devils who saw meaningful minutes, only Proctor and sophomore Caleb Foster elected to return for the 2024-25 season.
But though the 2024 March Madness run may not have ended with a banner, it showed promise for an evolving program full of heart and determination.
“Every team loses except one,” Scheyer said. “I think our program couldn't be in a stronger place. I couldn't be more confident in where this thing is heading and what we're doing.”
Read more
STILL ALIVE: No. 4-seed Duke men's basketball out-muscles Houston, advances to Elite 8
Column: Scheyer deserves more credit for the mental toughness and heart Duke showed in March
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.
Abby DiSalvo is a Trinity sophomore and assistant Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.