To cap off the best recruiting class in the country, Duke got a big commitment from Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 prospect. Flagg chose the Blue Devils over UConn and Kansas, among other schools. He has performed as advertised to start, leading his team in points, rebounds and assists.
In honor of Duke’s Centennial, the Blue Zone’s Blast from the Past series highlights pivotal figures and events in Duke sports history. Next, we look at a storybook moment for the 1997-1998 men's basketball team.
As winter sports are underway, The Chronicle is back with our breakdown of every sport, including key rules, terminology, tournament formats and more. Here is our basketball edition, including a section on the common cheers for Duke's home fans.
In a hostile away game at the Yuengling Center against South Florida before a long-awaited break, Duke could not dig itself out of a massive first-half hole, losing 65-56. Heading into halftime, the Bulls led 33-15, as the visitors committed 12 turnovers and scored only six field goals. But in typical Blue Devil manner, head coach Kara Lawson and her team weren’t going to collapse.
At the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Fla., in its last non-conference match-up of the season, No. 9 Duke fell 65-56 to South Florida, earning its third loss of the season and handing South Florida its first ranked win in two years.
That’s what Duke gave star freshman Cooper Flagg for his 18th birthday down in the Peach State, controlling the game nearly the entire way en route to its second conference win, a 82-56 mark over Georgia Tech. Flagg himself added 13 points and four rebounds to aid the effort.
Duke men’s basketball continues its conference slate with a road game against Georgia Tech. The Blue Zone previews Saturday's contest with an overview and X-factors.
From screen assists to tenacious rebounding on both ends of the floor, Duke out-hustled, out-ran and out-dogged the Terriers in every which way. In the first quarter alone, the Blue Devils snagged a whopping 10 offensive rebounds, which they paired with 11 second-chance points. Every loose ball, whether off the rim or the hands of a Wofford player, seemed to end up firmly grasped against a blue jersey.
No. 9 Duke continued its undefeated home record Wednesday night as it routed Wofford 93-58 in Cameron Indoor Stadium. While Rachel Rose’s perseverance kept the Terriers within reach of the Blue Devils at times, Toby Fournier and Oluchi Okananwa were unstoppable from underneath the rim, a key part of the team’s 50 combined paint points.
The ability to rely on defense to do the heavy lifting on a night where the offense was not at its best is a strong indicator of future success. It goes to show that the Blue Devils can find a way to win even when their shots aren’t falling, a quality that is critical to making a deep run in March.
In its last home nonconference matchup, No. 5 Duke was tested from wire-to-wire by a stout George Mason defense. But in the end, the Blue Devils prevailed 68-47 behind a strong offensive start to the second half and a consistently stifling unit on the other end of the floor.
During the winter season, The Chronicle is polling its readers every week via its Sportswrap newsletter to highlight one Blue Devil athlete’s outstanding performance. This week’s spotlight goes to Toby Fournier of Duke women’s Basketball.
No. 5 Duke men’s basketball returned to action with a home contest against George Mason. After 20 minutes of play, the Blue Devils hold a 25-16 lead in a low-scoring matchup.
Duke men’s basketball prepares to take on George Mason at home Tuesday. The Chronicle previews the game with an overview and three keys.
From the opening tip, the Blue Devils made life miserable for Incarnate Word’s offense. Even without Duke’s best defender, Maliq Brown, the Cardinals, averaging 75.5 points per game this season, were suffocated by Duke’s pressure and discipline.
No. 4 Duke defeated Incarnate Word 72-46 Tuesday evening. Despite a tight first half, the Blue Devils broke away in the beginning of the second frame on the backs of Sion James and Khaman Maluach. It was Maluach who led the offensive effort with 17 points on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting line.
No. 4 Duke men’s basketball returns home for a contest against Incarnate Word Tuesday evening. After 20 minutes, the Blue Devils still have some work to do, only leading the Cardinals 28-21.
Kelsey’s metaphor fits in more ways than one. Duke’s ability to reverse momentum on the court has become a trend this season — but the team seems incapable of unleashing its full potential until after a flood.
Duke men’s basketball prepares to take on Incarnate Word back home Tuesday. The Chronicle previews the game with an overview and X-Factor.
Duke’s first-half defense was impeccable, forcing Virginia Tech to 12 turnovers. The Blue Devil defense was scrappy and filled with tremendous heart, racking up eight steals compared to only one from the Hokies.
