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Saturday, March 8
Chapel Hill, N.C.
6:30 p.m.
Duke University
at
North Carolina
Photo by: Duke Athletics
Duke Closes Regular Season at North Carolina
3/7/2025 12:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Opening Tip
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- No. 2 Duke closes the regular season with a rivalry matchup at North Carolina on Saturday, March 8. The Blue Devils (27-3, 18-1 ACC) and Tar Heels (20-11, 13-6 ACC) tip off at 6:30 p.m., on ESPN.
- Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas and Jess Sims will call the action on ESPN. David Shumate and John Roth team up for the broadcast on the Blue Devil Sports Network.
- Saturday marks the 264th meeting in the rivalry's history, with Duke holding a 52-48 advantage in the last 100 games played between the Blue Devils and Tar Heels.
- Duke owns the second-highest net rating (39.37) in the history of KenPom (since 1996-97 season). Only the 1998-99 Duke Blue Devils have achieved a higher net rating (43.01).
- The Blue Devils lead the country in scoring margin (+22.4) and rank second in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.84), fourth in field goal percentage defense (.382), fifth in effective field goal percentage (.576), sixth in scoring defense (61.1), ninth in rebound margin (+8.5), 10th in assists per game (17.3), 13th in scoring offense (83.5), 15th in three-point percentage (.385), 16th in field goal percentage (.489), 16th in three-pointers per game (10.4) and 37th in three-point percentage defense (.307) - all top marks in the ACC.
- Duke leads the ACC in scoring offense (83.5) and scoring defense (61.1), and could become the first team in ACC history to lead the conference in both categories.
- Duke is the only team in the country ranked among the top-four in both offensive and defensive efficiency, according to KenPom, currently ranked No. 1 in offensive raw efficiency and No. 2 in defensive raw efficiency.
- Duke is the only Division I team to score 80 points or more per game (83.5) and hold its opponents to fewer than 62 points per game (61.1).
- Duke's 10 conference wins of at least 25 points are the most by any team in a season in ACC history.
- Jon Scheyer secured his 81st career victory on Monday, passing Bill Guthridge (North Carolina, 1997-2000) for the most wins by an ACC coach in their first three seasons.
- Cooper Flagg, who turned 18 years old on Dec. 21, is the only player to rank among the ACC's top-10 in all five major statistical categories - scoring (3rd), rebounding (9th), assists (8th), steals (7th) and blocked shots (t-10th).
- Kon Knueppel is averaging 16.6 points in the last five games, connecting on 26-of-48 (.542) from the field and 11-of-21 (.524) from long range.
- In the last 13 games, Sion James has distributed 47 assists to just 12 turnovers, a 3.9 assist-to-turnover ratio. James ranks third in the ACC in that category (2.8).
- Khaman Maluach has 57 dunks this season, compared to just 45 combined by Duke foes.
- The Tar Heels are averaging 90.8 points per contest during their current six-game win streak.
- North Carolina is the second-highest scoring offense in the ACC and ranks 23rd in the nation, averaging 82.1 points per contest.
- 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.
- The 18 conference wins are the most by Duke, with the ACC expanding the league schedule to 20 games ahead of the 2019-20 season. The Blue Devils had previously reached 16 ACC victories in a single season twice, in 2021-22 (16-4) and 1998-99 (16-0).
- With the 33-point victory, Duke now has 10 games in conference play this season with a winning margin of at least 25 points, the most by any team in a single season in ACC history.
- The Blue Devils have posted nine victories this season by a margin of 30 points or more, including the last four in-a-row.
- Duke won the rebounding battle, 45-33, and has finished with a positive margin on the glass in all but seven games this season.
- For the 18th time this season, Duke finished with a double-digit advantage for points in the paint, outscoring the Demon Deacons, 38-20, in the category.
- Along with the positive margin for points in the paint, Duke out-paced Wake Forest in the remaining four specialty stats – points off turnovers (23-4), second-chance points (22-7), fast-break points (20-6) and bench points (21-16).
- Duke head coach Jon Scheyer has achieved a career record of 81-21 after Monday's victory for a winning percentage of .794.
- Scheyer passed the standard set by Bill Guthridge (North Carolina, 1997-2000) for the most wins by an ACC coach in their first three seasons.
- Duke won its last six games (Stanford, Virginia, Illinois, Miami, Florida State, Wake Forest) by an average margin of 33.7 points, amassing 97.7 points per contest, while limiting opponents to just 64.0 points per game.
- The Blue Devils have won by 33 or more points five times in the past six outings.
- In the time span, Duke is shooting 52.6% (209-397) from the field, 42.6% (72-169) from three-point range and 83.5% (96-115) from the free-throw line, while opponents are shooting 37.5% from the field, 28.8% from long distance and 78.0% from the charity stripe.
- The Blue Devils are also outrebounding their foes by an average of 11.5 boards per game in the last six contests (40.7/29.2), while distributing 123 assists with 41 turnovers, a 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.
- In that same timeframe, Duke has forced more turnovers (73) than opponents have registered assists (63).
- Duke is once again one of the top defenses in the country.
- KenPom ranks the Blue Devils as the second-best defense in the nation with a raw defense efficiency rating of 91.9. (as of March 6)
- This season, Duke ranks fourth in the nation in field goal percentage defense (.382) and sixth in scoring defense (61.1) - both top marks in the ACC.
- Based on EvanMiya's Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating, Duke has six of the top 11 defenders in the ACC: Cooper Flagg (1st), Kon Knueppel (3rd), Maliq Brown (4th), Sion James (8th), Khaman Maluach (9th) and Tyrese Proctor (11th). Flagg ranks as the second-best defender in the nation with a rating of 4.52.
- Duke opponents have committed 33 shot clock violations on the season, compared to just six by the Blue Devils.
- Last season, the 2023-24 Blue Devils finished the season 16th in the nation in defense efficiency (95.2), and ranked 28th in the nation in scoring defense, holding opponents to just 66.3 points per game.
- In 2022-23, Jon Scheyer's first season as head coach, Duke finished the season 16th in the nation in defense efficiency (93.9), and ranked 24th in three-point percentage defense (.305), 27th in field goal percentage defense (.406) and 30th in scoring defense (63.6).
- While Duke established itself as an imposing defensive unit early in the season, the Blue Devils have evolved into one of the top-rated offenses in the country.
- The Blue Devils are No. 1 on KenPom's raw offensive efficiency list (125.5), followed by Auburn (122.7) and Gonzaga (122.4).
- Duke also owns the top-rated offense by EvanMiya with an offensive performance rating of 20.7, ahead of Auburn (19.9) and Alabama (18.7). (as of March 6)
- Duke ranks second in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.84), fifth in effective field goal percentage (.576), 10th in assists per game (17.3) and 15th in field goal percentage (.489) - all top marks in the ACC.
- In the last six games (wins over Stanford, Virginia, Illinois, Miami, Florida State and Wake Forest), Duke is averaging 97.7 points per contest, while shooting 209-of-397 (52.6%) from the field, 72-of-169 (42.6%) from three-point land and 96-of-115 (83.5%) from the free-throw line.
- Against Stanford, Duke averaged 1.68 points per possession, the fourth-highest efficiency against a high-major opponent in the KenPom database (since 1996-97), then 1.31 PPP at Virginia and 1.51 PPP versus Illinois. The offensive rating of 147 during those three games is the best three-game stretch against high-major opponents in KenPom history, topping the previous high of 140 by North Carolina in 2016. (The Athletic)
- The Blue Devils distributed 67 assists with just 17 turnovers during that three-game stretch, for an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.94.
- Duke freshman Cooper Flagg, the No. 1-ranked prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, secured a spot on the 2024-25 Associated Press preseason All-America Team.
- The 6-9 guard/forward was also announced as the Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year and named to the Preseason All-ACC First Team, as chosen by a select media panel.
- Flagg collected 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals in the season-opener against Maine to become the first freshman in Duke history to have at least 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in their debut.
- Flagg was the first Duke player in the last 40 years to amass 50+ points, 25+ rebounds and 10+ assists in his first three career games, per ESPN.
- Flagg was voted as the ACC Men's Basketball Player and Rookie of the Week on Nov. 25, becoming the first player to earn both honors in the same week since Feb. 3, 2020, when Duke's Vernon Carey, Jr., accomplished the same feat.
- Flagg became the only 17-year-old in NCAA history to register multiple 20-point double-doubles, according to Real Sports.
- In Duke's four top-25 matchups, Flagg averaged 21.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals per game.
- After registering a pair of 20-point double-doubles without committing a turnover against No. 2 Auburn and at Louisville, Flagg was declared the Associated Press and Lute Olson National Player of the Week and the ACC Rookie of the Week (Dec. 9).
- Flagg broke the Duke and ACC freshman single-game scoring records with 42 points versus Notre Dame (Jan. 11), becoming the youngest player in NCAA history to have a 40-point game, according to Real Sports.
- On Jan. 13, Flagg became the first player in ACC history to sweep the conference weekly awards (player and rookie of the week) three times. He is the fifth player in the history of the league to sweep the conference's weekly awards multiple times in a season, joining four former Blue Devils - Vernon Carey Jr. (2019-20), Zion Williamson (2018-19), Marvin Bagley III (2017-18) and Jabari Parker (2013-14), who each did so twice.
- The freshman achieved a perfect 4.0 grade point average during the fall 2024 semester.
- Flagg has been voted as the ACC Rookie of the Week a record 11 times (Nov. 18, Nov. 25, Dec. 9, Dec. 23, Jan. 6, Jan. 13, Jan. 20, Jan. 27, Feb. 3, Feb. 17, Feb. 24) and the ACC Player of the Week five times (Nov. 25, Jan. 6, Jan. 13, Feb. 3, Feb. 24).
- Flagg's 11 ACC Rookie of the Week awards is the conference record, passing the standard of 10 honors by Kenny Anderson of Georgia Tech (1990), Tyler Hansbrough of UNC (2006) and Jabari Parker of Duke (2014).
- Flagg became the first ACC player to amass 500 points, 100 assists and 30 blocks in the regular season in the last 25 years, reaching those numbers in 26 games (at Virginia).
- Flagg has posted seven double-doubles this season, including four with 20 points or more and two of those against ranked opponents, collecting 26 points and 11 rebounds versus No. 19 Kentucky and 22 points and 11 caroms against No. 2 Auburn.
- Flagg, who turned 18 years old on Dec. 21, currently leads Duke in points (587), rebounds (226), assists (125), steals (47) and blocked shots (35).
- Flagg is the only player to rank among the ACC's top-10 in all five major statistical categories - scoring (3rd), rebounding (9th), assists (8th), steals (7th), and blocked shots (t-10th).
- Flagg is the top scorer in the ACC in league games with 408 points, averaging 21.5 points per contest.
- Flagg is the highest rated player in the history of the KenPom Player of the Year Standings (since 2011) with a rating of 2.906, eclipsing Frank Kaminsky of Wisconsin in 2015 (2.794).
- Flagg currently leads the KenPom Player of the Year Standings with a 2.906 rating, ahead of Auburn's Johni Broome (2.323) and Hunter Dickinson of Kansas (1.508).
- Flagg is the top-rated player by EvanMiya with a combined offensive and defensive rating of 10.76, compared to Johni Broome of Auburn, who is second with a 9.86 rating.
- Flagg is rated as the No. 1 defender in the ACC and second nationally by EvanMiya with a defensive performance rating of 4.52, which is more than a point ahead of the conference's second-highest rated defender.
- Flagg has distributed 30 assists with just three turnovers in the last six games – a 10.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.
- Duke has a record of 9-11 on March 8.
- The Blue Devils have played just two true road games on this date, a 79-71 setback at North Carolina in 2009 and a 68-50 loss at Pennsylvania in 1950.
- Duke and North Carolina have met seven times on March 8, with the Tar Heels holding a 4-3 edge.
- The Blue Devils' last contest on this date was in 2018, an 88-70 win over Notre Dame in the ACC Tournament at Barclays Center.
- The weekly television show, "Duke All-Access with Jon Scheyer," is back for its third season in 2024-25.
- The 30-minute show features Jon Scheyer and his Blue Devils team. Presented in magazine format and produced by John Roth, the show also includes informative player features and behind-the-scenes access to the Duke program.
- A production of Blue Devil Sports Properties from LEARFIELD, the show airs locally on ABC-11 WTVD on Sundays at noon ET and is live streamed on ABC11.com Saturdays at 10 a.m. ET. It is also available regionally across the FanDuel Sports Network on Fridays at 5:30 p.m. ET; and on MASN Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. ET. It can also be viewed via the Duke Athletics YouTube Channel and archived on GoDuke.com.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils men's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeMBB".
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#GoDuke
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