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Ashlon Jackson scored 22 points in Duke's ACC championship win.
SPORTS | BASKETBALL

REVENGE TOUR: Duke women's basketball knocks off NC State 76-62 for first ACC championship since 2013

By Elle Chavis | March 9, 2025

Almost exactly a year ago, the Blue Devils lost to the Wolfpack in the ACC quarterfinals. A month ago, they again lost to N.C. State behind 36 points from Aziaha James. This time though, not even James’ heroics could stop Duke from winning its first ACC championship under head coach Kara Lawson. Twenty-two points from both junior Ashlon Jackson and sophomore Oluchi Okananwa paved the way for the Blue Devils as they took down the top-seeded Wolfpack 76-62. 

Duke clinched the No. 1 seed in the ACC with the win against North Carolina.
SPORTS | BASKETBALL

ON THEIR HEELS: No. 2 Duke men's basketball's second-half surge defeats North Carolina 82-69

By Rachael Kaplan | March 8, 2025

While North Carolina kept it interesting, Duke escaped its rival on the road, closing out the regular season with a 82-69 win. Four of Duke’s starters finished with double digits, and the visitors demolished the Tar Heels on the glass 39-26. The win was head coach Jon Scheyer’s second in the Dean E. Smith Center, and his second time sweeping North Carolina in the regular season — he did both in his first year as the Blue Devils’ head coach. 

Freshman Cooper Flagg takes a jumper against Wake Forest.
SPORTS | BASKETBALL

Beats' picks: Can Duke complete season sweep of North Carolina, clinch sole ACC regular-season title?

By Rachael Kaplan , Dom Fenoglio , Ranjan Jindal , Sophie Levenson , Caleb Dudley , Rodrigo Amare , Abby DiSalvo and Andrew Long | March 8, 2025

For the second time this season, Duke will take on that team down the road in a rivalry bout. This time around, the Tar Heels come in with a winning streak and something to prove, while the Blue Devils are chasing an outright ACC regular season title. The Chronicle's beats break down the matchup with their predictions.

Senior guard Reigan Richardson drives against Louisville.
SPORTS | BASKETBALL

No. 3-seed Duke knocks off No. 6-seed Louisville in ACC Tournament quarterfinals, four Blue Devils score double digits

By Lucy Glynn | March 7, 2025

In their first ACC Tournament game this season, the third-seeded Blue Devils secured a 61-48 victory to knock No. 6-seed Louisville out of the bracket. The veteran-rookie duo of junior Ashlon Jackson and freshman Toby Fournier bolstered the team's score as junior Taina Mair initiated critical shifts on the defensive end — leading Duke’s stat sheet with three steals and four defensive rebounds.

Toby Fournier led the Blue Devils with 14.1 points per game.
SPORTS | BASKETBALL

Duke women's basketball's Toby Fournier wins ACC Rookie of the Year

By Martin Heintzelman | March 4, 2025

Forward Toby Fournier won Rookie of the Year following a remarkable rookie campaign during which she averaged 14.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game on 55.0% shooting from the field. She was also named to the All-ACC First Team, and was joined in conference honors by Ashlon Jackson (All-ACC Second Team) and Jadyn Donovan (All-ACC Defensive Team). Fournier became just the second Duke player ever to be named to the All-ACC First Team. 

Scenes from MBB vs Wake Forest
SPORTS | BASKETBALL

Second-chance points and fast-break scoring define No. 2 Duke men's basketball's win against Wake Forest

By Mackenzie Sheehy | March 4, 2025

Duke scored 17 more fast-break points compared to the Demon Deacons’ six, giving it an offensive edge that metastasized into an enormous lead. When the Blue Devils narrowly escaped Winston Salem, N.C., nearly a month ago, the scene looked very different: Duke tallied just two fast-break points to Wake Forest’s 12. This time around, the home squad played with a faster tempo to beat its opponents in transition, capitalizing on opportunities for quick buckets.

Vanessa de Jesus tied for a team-high five assists against Florida State.
SPORTS | BASKETBALL

No. 11 Duke women's basketball records stifling defensive performance against nation's top offense

By Colton Schwabe | March 3, 2025

It didn’t matter that the Blue Devil offense never really got into a rhythm until the fourth quarter, or that Duke shot 20% from beyond the arc. Lawson’s defense refused to let the Seminoles pull ahead. The Blue Devils outrebounded their Sunshine State foes 51-35, ensuring that head coach Brooke Wyckoff’s team would never build a margin larger than four points. 

Tyrese Proctor returned to action Monday night for Duke.
SPORTS | BASKETBALL

No. 2 Duke men's basketball blows out Wake Forest 93-60 on senior night, Flagg scores 28

By Sophie Levenson | March 3, 2025

Duke played its penultimate regular-season game against Wake Forest Monday night. The ACC rematch was the home team’s last hurrah in Cameron — and a hurrah indeed. Duke snagged a 93-60 win from the Demon Deacons, this one much more decisive than before. The victory put another jewel in the crown Jon Scheyer wears, as the young head coach stayed undefeated at home for the second time in just three years and the 20th time in program history.

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