Will Duke basketball go undefeated in the ACC? Breaking down the Blue Devils entering 2025

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Duke basketball is on track for Texas.

Third-year coach Jon Scheyer and freshman phenom Cooper Flagg have the Blue Devils (10-2, 2-0 ACC) playing like a team capable of getting to the 2025 Final Four in San Antonio.

Following its win at Georgia Tech, Duke is off to a 3-0 road start for the first time under Scheyer. The Devils won’t hit Coach K Court again for a game until welcoming Virginia Tech to Cameron Indoor Stadium on New Year’s Eve.

Here’s a breakdown of Duke’s offense and defense as 2024 comes to a close, along with a breakdown of the Blue Devils’ ACC schedule and NCAA Tournament resume.

Duke basketball has a national championship-level defense

Duke leads the nation in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com. If that statistic holds, the Blue Devils would be No. 1 for the first time since the 2001-02 season. The tallest team in the country, Duke has made the most of its length and athleticism to make opponents miserable.

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Through 12 games, Duke is fifth in field-goal percentage defense (35.5%) and eighth in scoring defense (58.5 points per game). Cooper Flagg’s versatility, Khaman Maluach’s rim protection and Maliq Brown’s knack for steals and deflections have been the foundation of a defense that could help Duke cut down the nets in April.

Cooper Flagg stats, Blue Devils’ offense with Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor

Cooper Flagg has done exactly what folks expected him to do as the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Flagg isn’t flashy, but he covers the stat sheet with how he consistently puts his imprint on games. Through 12 games, Flagg leads Duke in scoring (16.3 ppg), rebounding (8.6 rbg), assists (3.5 apg) and blocks (1.2 bpg).

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In the Blue Devils’ four biggest games of the season to this point (Kentucky, Arizona, Kansas and Auburn), Flagg…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/duke-basketball-undefeated-acc-breaking-090229872.html

Author : The Fayetteville Observer

Publish date : 2024-12-24 09:02:00

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