Duke started off the season hot, losing only 2 games in the early season sitting at 19-2. This game was different. This game mattered to them the most. This is one of the biggest rivalries in history. Duke took this game like it was their last, beating UNC 87-70 victory.
Duke came into this game hot leading with a 16-0 run at the start of the game.
Freshman star Cooper Flagg controlled this game with 21 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Kon Knuepple led the team in scoring with 22 points and went 7-of-11 shooting.
Duke came into this game hungry against their rival and wanted to win more than anything.
Freshman stars Flagg and Knupple said, “This is what I thought this rival game was gonna be like and the atmosphere was crazy. You just have to stay calm in games like these.”
Duke showcased elite performance not only on the offensive side but also the defensive. Their 2-3 defense had UNC scrambling around, and they had to eventually call a timeout to adjust to this elite defense.
Flagg led the team in steals with 4 throughout the game they made UNC turnover the ball 7 times.
“The Blue Devils have completely stuffed UNC, forcing 7 turnovers so far. Meanwhile, their 69.2% from the field has pushed the lead past 20,” says head coach Jon Scheyer.
Duke got a statement win, and it shows other teams how powerful they are beating their rival with multiple starting freshmen. They never felt a game more intense with the crowd like that. They play with such poise; they play very calmly when it comes down to it.
This is a huge win; not many freshmen can just go out there and dominate the league like these guys.
“A lot of teams think just because we have a few freshmen starting they can just attack them because they’re young, but that’s not the case these dudes can play,” says Scheyer.
Duke never let the game slip and won the game 87-70. They couldn’t adjust to defense because all the points were mostly from transition buckets. It’s always going to be hard to win a game with 10 turnovers, and Duke took advantage of three turnovers and executed to get in.
“These guys gave it their all tonight; nothing else really needs to be said,” says Scheyer.
