RALEIGH, N.C. – The top-seeded Duke Blue Devils kicked off the 2025 NCAA Tournament with a decisive 93-49 win over Mount St. Mary’s on Friday, March 21, at the Lenovo Center. Tyrese Proctor led Duke (32-3) with 19 points, supported by three other players who scored in double digits: Cooper Flagg (14 points), Caleb Foster (12 points), and Khaman Maluach (11 points).
Patrick Ngongba II led the team in rebounds with eight, achieving a career-high, while Flagg contributed seven boards. Duke excelled with a total of 21 assists, spearheaded by Proctor with five assists, while committing only two turnovers, resulting in a remarkable 10.5 assist-turnover ratio—the best in the program’s history.
Defensively, the Blue Devils restricted the Mountaineers to just 19-of-63 (.302) shooting, a significant drop from Mount St. Mary’s usual average of 44.6 percent from the field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Duke opened the game with a basket from Kon Knueppel, leading to a quick 4-0 advantage after Maluach scored shortly after.
- Proctor scored two early threes to help Duke establish a 13-2 lead before the first media timeout, followed by a dunk from Flagg that extended the scoring run to 18-4, putting them ahead 24-9.
- Maluach hit a three-pointer and added an alley-oop, contributing to a lead of 51-27 just before halftime, where Duke led 54-28.
- In the second half, Proctor and Flagg scored quickly, pushing the lead up substantially. A defensive stand held the Mountaineers scoreless for nearly six minutes, allowing Duke to lead by as much as 38 points before finalizing the 93-49 victory.
NOTES
- This was Duke’s 47th NCAA Tournament appearance, boasting a record of 123-41 (.750), the highest winning percentage among teams with at least 20 Tournament games played.
- Duke improved to 33-3 (.917) in first-round matchups and is now 60-17 (.779) when competing in the East Region.
- The Blue Devils have now achieved 32 wins this season, contributing to seven seasons with 32 or more wins since 2000.
- Duke’s 21 assists and only two turnovers not only set a program record but showcased strong offensive performance.
- Proctor matched his career high with six three-pointers and contributed significantly to Duke’s overall scoring.
QUOTES
- “I thought it was a workmanlike performance by our team… Proud of the performance.” – Duke head coach Jon Scheyer
- “We played our best basketball when we all move the ball and get great looks.” – Duke junior guard Tyrese Proctor
UP NEXT
- Duke, as the No. 1 seed, advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they will face No. 9-seed Baylor on Sunday, March 23. The game time is yet to be announced.
For updates on Blue Devils men’s basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook under “DukeMBB”.
#GoDuke
