• Basketball
  • Duke Caps Off An Undeafeted Season At Home With A Big 93-60 Win Over Wake Forest

Duke Caps Off An Undeafeted Season At Home With A Big 93-60 Win Over Wake Forest

Details
Basketball

No. 2 Duke capped off an undefeated season at home, defeating Wake Forest, 93-60, on Monday, March 3. The Blue Devils (28-3, 18-1 ACC) finished a perfect 17-0 at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and used a 53-point second half to race past the Demon Deacons (20-10, 12-7 ACC).

Cooper Flagg scored a game-high 28 points on 10-of-16 (.625) shooting, including 3-of-6 (.500) from beyond the arc. The freshman also dished a game-high seven assists, while adding eight boards, three blocks and two steals to his line. Four other Blue Devils finished in double-figures - Kon Knueppel (17), Tyrese Proctor (12), Sion James (11) and Mason Gillis (11).

Khaman Maluach led all players on the glass, reeling in 14 caroms, including six offensive boards. As a team, Duke dished 19 assists, swiped eight steals and blocked five shots.

The undefeated season at home is the 20th in Duke program history and second with head coach Jon Scheyer at the helm. With the victory, Scheyer earned his 81st victory as coach, surpassing Bill Guthridge (North Carolina, 1997-2000), for the most wins by an ACC coach in their first three seasons.

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Wake Forest scored on its first possession but both defenses held strong through the first three minutes, with the score remaining 2-0 over three minutes into the contest. Kon Knueppel got Duke on the board, hitting a mid-range jumper. A three-pointer from Sion James gave the Blue Devils their first lead, 5-4, after six minutes of action.
  • Triples from Cooper Flagg and Isaiah Evans grew the lead to five, 13-8, at the under-12 media timeout. A three-point-play by Flagg, with 9:08 on the clock, inched Duke in front by six, 20-14. Duke's defense held the visitors with a made field goal for over six minutes, as the Blue Devils moved in front by double-digits, 28-17, at the 6:38 mark.
  • Knueppel drilled his second three-pointer of the half, giving the freshman nine points and Duke a 37-24 edge with just over a minute remaining before halftime. After Duke led by 13, 40-27, at the break, Wake Forest trimmed the lead to single-digits, 40-33, with six quick points. Flagg answered with three consecutive buckets and Duke led, 47-38, at the first break of the second stanza.
  • Flagg reached 20 points with his third three-pointer of the game and extended the Blue Devils' margin to 15, 53-38. Duke remained hot from beyond the arc, as Mason Gillis sent in back-to-back triples, forcing a Wake Forest timeout with Duke in front, 65-41.
  • A fast-break layup by Tyrese Proctor, a steal by Patrick Ngongba II and a put-back layup by Knueppel pushed the lead to 30, 75-45, at the under-eight media timeout. Knueppel sent in a contested three-pointer, giving the freshman 17 points, and built a 37-point lead, 84-47.
  • Duke's largest lead of the night, 40 points, came following a Gillis three-pointer to make it a 91-51 advantage. Neal Begovich capped the scoring, with a layup in the final minute. 

UP NEXT

  • No. 2 Duke closes the regular season with a rivalry matchup at North Carolina on March 8. The Blue Devils (27-3, 18-1 ACC) and Tar Heels (19-11, 12-6 ACC) tip off at 6:30 p.m., on ESPN.