Top Five Plays in Duke Basketball’s Win vs Arizona

When Duke basketball plays the top-ranked team in the country, it hopes to bring the best from its most recent performance.

In its video review of the top five plays of the No. 12-ranked Blue Devils’ 69-55 victory over the No. 17 Arizona Wildcats on the road on Friday, the Duke basketball social media team appropriately emphasized defense as the driving force behind the first two plays.

Duke did, after all, hold Arizona to its lowest regular-season scoring total since February 2020. Additionally, these Wildcats had a 94.3 point average going into the fight.

Best of the best from yesterday’s win at Arizona pic.twitter.com/TVf3ioAW1g

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) November 24, 2024

The top five plays include third-year Blue Devil Tyrese Proctor, seasoned newcomers Maliq Brown and Sion James, and beyond-their-years Duke basketball rookies Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel:

5. Tyrese Proctor’s 3-point splash early in the first half after Cooper Flagg’s steal and shovel pass

4. With less than ten minutes remaining before the half, Tyrese Proctor’s steal and forceful breakaway slam increased Duke’s advantage to 17–14.

3. Late in the first half, Maliq Brown threaded a bounce pass to a cutting Sion James, who dunk it with two hands in traffic.

2. Kon Knueppel’s tenacious play early in the second half, which included two crucial threes late to dash Arizona’s dreams of a comeback and recovering his disputed short-range miss to pull the trigger for a long-range swish to give the Blue Devils a double-digit lead.

1. More than seven minutes into the second half, Cooper Flagg’s forceful skill in approaching the lane for a statement

The next game for the Blue Devils (4-1, 0-0 ACC) is a Vegas Showdown versus the No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (5-0, 0-0 Big 12), who are also bluebloods. The game is scheduled to begin at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET (ESPN).

MATT GILES

As the editor and publisher of NC State Wolfpack on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and Duke Blue Devils on SI, Matt Giles is a vital resource for in-depth reporting on these legendary collegiate basketball programs. Matt has been committed to provide in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three clubs since joining SI in 2022. He covers everything from player profiles and recruitment updates to game recaps and previews. Fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC turn to Matt’s work because of his in-depth understanding of these teams. In his capacity as publisher, he sets the editorial direction and makes sure his audience receives the most up-to-date and pertinent information.