Big weekend for Duke Hoops
The men first
The Duke men’s basketball team ran their record to 16-2, 8-0 ACC, with an 88-63 win over Boston College (9-9, 1-6). It was Duke’s 12th straight win.
For some reason the powers that be decided to schedule the Duke game opposite an NFL playoff game. Has to the worst ratings in a long time for a Duke ACC game.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who explored the pleasures of watching one game on a TV and another on a laptop.
Aside number one. Jayden Daniels looks like a keeper.
Aside number two. Kansas City sure seems to get a lot of calls. Does Andy Reid take these folks to Hilton Head every summer?
I digress.
Boston College certainly got Duke’s attention, especially 6-9, 270-pound St. Bonaventure transfer Chad Venning.
He did his best D.J. Burns imitation early, six points in the first 2:18.
I don’t know what it is with that body type, but it seems to be Duke’s kryptonite.
Then Donald Hand, Jr. hit a triple, which really makes me feel old, because I was already old when his father starred for Virginia.
BC’s biggest lead was 18-11.
“Give Boston College a ton of credit,” Jon Scheyer said. “They came out very physical, very ready to play.”
Now Boston College is a hockey school. But you think they’d know enough not to chant “over-rated” at a team with enough talent to bludgeon your team into a different zip code.
Do not poketh the bear. Especially when the bear is 6-9, with elite skills.
Duke took its first lead at 22-20 on a Tyrese Proctor 3-pointer. Venning tied it, then Chas Kelley put BC back on top at 24-22.
Flagg tied it with two freebies, sparking a 16-8 Duke run.
Flagg and Proctor were the only Duke starters doing much damage. But Isaiah Evans came off the bench and gave Duke five quick points and Duke took a 40-34 lead into the half.
It didn’t take Duke long to put it away after intermission. Cooper Flagg did Cooper Flagg things, Sion James got an old-fashioned 3-point play, Khaman Maluach scored inside.
Venning did his best to keep the Eagles in it, an and-one and a one-for-two trip to the line keeping it to 10-point deficit. But a Flagg dunk, an Evans triple and a Proctor 3-point play and it was 61-43 and that was pretty much that.
Scheyer said Duke’s defensive connectivity “was so much better [down the stretch]. Our intention to protect the paint was really good. Because of that we were able to get separation.”
Flagg ended with 28 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks, hitting 9 pf 14 from the field, 9 of 11 from the line.
Just a typical day at the office for a player rapidly emerging as the favorite for national player of the year.
Flagg did this in front of a pretty sizeable group of friends and family who made the trip down from his home state.
“I’m really grateful to have such a support system from the state of Maine,” he said. “I wouldn’t say I felt any kind of pressure. For me it was more of just a blessing to be able to come out and see a lot of familiar faces in the crowd and people I knew. It gave me confidence more than anything.”
“He just keeps getting better,” Scheyer said. “He started off the year great but he’s just hit a new level.”
Proctor had his most productive game in some time, 20 points, 3 rebounds, a couple of assists. Evans added 14. James (6 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists) and Mason Gillis (4 points, 6 rebounds) were solid, with Gillis holding his own as a small-ball five.
Maluach had 8 points and 4 rebounds in 17 foul-plagued minutes but was somewhat outplayed by Venning (19 points but only 3 rebounds).
I haven’t mentioned Kon Knuppel. For good reason. He went scoreless in 26 minutes.
Better now than March, I suppose.
Duke has an open date in midweek before making the short trip to Winston-Salem Saturday to play a suddenly dangerous Wake Forest team. We all remember what happened the last time Duke played there, court storming and all that.
Duke appears to be the league’s alpha. But Clemson, Louisville and Wake Forest are lurking with one ACC loss and Duke has to play Clemson and Wake on the road.
No time to take the foot off the gas.