Last-Second Free Throws Secure Duke's 72-71 Victory Over Clemson

Saturday, January 27

Durham, N.C.

4 p.m.

Duke University

15-4,6-2ACC

Clemson

13-6,3-5ACC

Clemson

Duke

Last-Second Free Throws Secure Duke's 72-71 Victory Over Clemson

1/27/2024 6:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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DURHAM – Two free throws with 1.0 on the clock by Tyrese Proctor pushed No. 12 Duke (15-4, 6-2) ahead for good, securing the 72-71 victory over Clemson (13-6, 3-5) for the Blue Devils on Saturday afternoon. Proctor finished with 18 points and was joined in double-figures by Jared McCain - who finished with a game-high 21 points - and Mark Mitchell, who poured in 13 points. Duke saw a balanced rebounding effort, with six different players grabbing at least four boards - led by Mitchell's six caroms.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Duke got a stop on the first possession of the game and Jared McCain opened the scoring with a running layup on the Blue Devils' first trip into the offensive end of the floor.
McCain's second three-pointer of the opening half tied the score at 18 after just over 10 minutes of action. Tyrese Proctor drilled a fast-break three-pointer of his own shortly after, putting Duke back in the lead, 21-18. A floater in the lane by Mitchell pushed the Blue Devils' scoring run to eight consecutive points before a contested layup by the Tigers snapped Duke's streak.
Back-to-back possessions ended with a Proctor three-pointer, making it a 29-20 game and forcing a Clemson timeout at 5:10 in the first half. Duke limited the Tigers to making just two of their final 15 shots of the first half and took a 32-26 lead into the break.
Proctor moved into double-figures out of the first media timeout of the second half, putting Duke ahead by seven, 39-32. The visitors made it a one-possession game, 45-43, following a three-point-play just over seven minutes into the second frame. The two teams traded baskets as the clock wound under 10 minutes to play, with Duke remaining ahead, 52-49.
Clemson tied the score at 54 with just over eight minutes to play. McCain answered on the following possession with a floater, giving the freshman 14 second-half points. A Tigers three-pointer gave them the lead for the first time since the 10-minute mark of the first half. A long three-pointer by Proctor at the end of the shot clock triggered a timeout by the visitors with Duke ahead, 59-57.
The Blue Devils trailed by just two, 65-63, at the final media timeout of the game. Filipowski knotted the score from the charity stripe out of the break, but Clemson responded with four straight points to move back in front.
Key defensive stops, including three steals by McCain across the final two minutes, set up a Kyle Filipowski three-point-play to move Duke ahead, 70-69, with 15 seconds. Proctor put the Blue Devils in the lead for good, 72-71, after draining two free throws with 1.0 on the clock.

NOTES

With Duke trailing 69-65 and 2:03 remaining in the contest, the Blue Devils recorded steals on four straight possessions, including three in-a-row by Jared McCain, resulting in a 5-0 run to take a 70-69 advantage with 15 seconds left.
The Blue Devils have now won 21 consecutive home games against Clemson, dating back to 1995. Duke leads the all-time series with the Tigers, 115-33.
The Blue Devils' defense held Clemson to 71 points, 9.7 below its season average of 80.7 points. The Blue Devils have now held 17 of their 19 opponents below their respective scoring average.
Duke's defense limited the Tigers to making just two of their final 15 shots of the first half and closed the opening stanza on a 17-8 scoring run.
The ACC battle experienced 11 ties and 12 lead changes, with the final lead change via a pair of free throws by Duke sophomore guard Tyrese Proctor with one second remaining.
Duke opened the contest with its sixth different starting lineup this season, and the first consisting of only freshmen and sophomores.
Mark Mitchell scored 10 first-half points, securing his 28th career game with at least 10 points. Mitchell finished with 13 points on 3-of-6 shooting and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line.
The Blue Devils are now 26-2 in games that the sophomore reaches the 10-point threshold.
Tyrese Proctor went 4-of-6 from beyond the arc en route to 18 total points. The sophomore has scored at least 10 points in each of Duke's last four games, averaging 17.5 points across that stretch.
Proctor has connected on four 3-pointers in back-to-back games, matching his career-high for 3-pointers made.
Proctor has netted three or more triples in four contests this season and nine in his two-year career. The Blue Devils are undefeated (9-0) in those games.
Jared McCain scored a game-high 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting – including three 3-pointers – and poured in 16 second-half points with 11 of those points coming in the final 12 minutes. McCain has scored 20 points or more in five of the last 11 outings.
McCain has now made three or more 3-pointers in eight games this season. Duke is 7-1 in those contests.

QUOTES

"That was just a big-time game. I thought that we came out really ready to play. I thought the end of the first half was key. I thought we missed free throws, some open looks, that could have extended it, but give Clemson credit. They're experienced, they're old, they hung tough, and obviously it was back-and-forth there in the second half. I'm just really proud of our guys and their will, their competitive spirit." - head coach Jon Scheyer
""Yeah, I was just talking to myself, knowing that I was gonna make both of them. I haven't been shooting the free throw that well this season, and I know I'm one of the best free-throw shooters in the country. I just took my time and knocked them both in." - sophomore guard Tyrese Proctor
"I've played in a lot of games like this. It's fun. This is what I live for. This adrenaline rush. I knew Rese [Tyrese Proctor] was gonna hit those free throws. Like LeBron would say, I knew he was gonna make those free throws. I'm just happy we won." - freshman guard Jared McCain

UP NEXT

No. 12 Duke (15-4, 6-2 ACC) plays Virginia Tech (13-7, 5-4 ACC) on Big Monday at Cassell Coliseum. The game on Jan. 29 tips off at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

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