Despite their rich history and bitter rivalry, next weekend will mark the first time that the Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels have met in the NCAA Tournament.

The Tar Heels (28-9) and Blue Devils (32-6) are set to battle in a Final Four showdown Saturday in New Orleans with an 8:49 tip-off. The schools have met more than 250 times prior on the hardwood, but never in the tourney.

Eight-seeded UNC has averaged 77.5 points per game (11-1) since February 19.

Duke, a two seed that won the regular-season ACC title, could potentially be lacing them up for head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final game, as he announced he’s retiring after the season.

The Blue Devils are shooting 53.8% from the field so far in the tournament.

The schools split two regular-season games, with the road team taking both contests, and have done the same over the last eight matchups. North Carolina leads 141-115 all-time, though.

Duke rallied in both regulation and overtime to defeat North Carolina 98-96 on Saturday night. With a pair of plays for the history books, Tre Jones and Wendell Moore Jr. both dealt major blows to North Carolina.

Jones hit a jumper to force overtime and Moore scored as time expired in OT.

“There’s really nothing to put into words,” Jones said. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around what happened.”

Duke was down 13 in the final minutes of the game and with a slight back and forth, the game went to OT, where Moore delivered the final blow against the Tar Heels.

“If you don’t care who won the game, you had to enjoy that as a big-time college basketball game,” UNC coach Roy Williams said. “I care who won the game, so I did not enjoy the final outcome.”

For Duke, Jones proved to be the weapon they need, especially when it comes to big moments.

“He was at another level tonight,” Duke coach Mike Kryzewski said.

The Tar Heels seemed to recover from season-long struggles, but were killed in their free throw game. They made just 21 of 38 free throws, including 5 of 12 at the end of regulation.

“It was just so tough, the way we lost,” UNC freshman Armando Bacot said. “I was just stressed out the whole time, I couldn’t even look at it. And the way they won, it was just sad. But I tip my hat off to them.”

Duke will look to continue with this momentum as they host No. 8 Florida State on Monday night, while UNC will visit Wake Forest on Tuesday night as they look to bounce back from this disappointing loss.

Duke was supposed to steamroll their way to the NCAA Championship this year. Going into March Madness 2019, the team had 5-to-1 odds to win it all. But things looked like they were about to go south on Sunday when a veteran UCF squad came out and didn’t buy into the hype. Early in the second half, Duke found itself tied with a No. 9 seed.

Duke basketball Edges UCF In March Madness Round 2

The two teams battled it out until the clock withered down to mere seconds. Then, Duke turned Central Florida’s strategy on its head. It’s easy to do when you have the most famous coach in college history. Coach Mike Krzyzewski used a timeout to address his team. It worked.

“When the greatest coach of all time looks at you and tells you that you’re made for this moment, it’s like the most confidence you can be given,” star Zion Williamson said after the game. “So when I went to the basket, I knew it was going in.”

Williamson’s and-one, along with a put-back by RJ Barrett after Zion’s missed free throw, put Duke on top with a one-point lead. However, 11 seconds remained on the clock. The Blue Devils then got ready to defend.
Though UCF guard B.J. Taylor got a great look and Aubrey Dawkins had the chance for a put-back like Barrett’s seconds earlier, neither fell. Guard Cam Reddish used the game as an opportunity to dismiss the critics of Duke who said they were too young a team to succeed.

“We’ve been through so much together. Being together during those last couple minutes of the game, they hit some tough shots,” he said. “For us to stay together, obviously we’re a young group of guys and people say a lot of stuff about that. But we had trust the coaches and trust in each other. It’s a good win for us.”

Duke will next face No. 4-seed Virginia Tech in the Sweet 16 on Friday night. Here are some highlights:

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

No. 2 Texas narrowly beat out no. 3 Xavier 78-76 to move on. Tyrique Jones led his squad with 22 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. No. 1 North Carolina blew out ninth seed Washington 81-59. Fletcher Magee also failed to build up his NCAA record of most career three-pointers, going 0 for 12 behind the arc. The Wofford Terriers fell to Kentucky 56-62 to cap off an impressive career for Magee.

The Duke Blue Devils that field Zion WIlliamson, Cam Reddish and RJ Barrett are the heaviest favorites to win the 2019NCAA Championship since the 2014-2015 Kentucky Wildcats.

Blue Devils Faves To Win March Madness 2019

That team, led by Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker and Willie Cauley-Stein, went undefeated in the regular season before falling in the final four to No. 3 Wisconsin.

If the Blue Devils don’t come out of March Madness as champions, billions of dollars will be won by bookmakers and millions of brackets will be busted. More money was bet on the school to win the national title than any other team across the nation this season. Roughly one-in-five bets, 19%, bet on the NCAA Championship at William Hill U.S. sportsbooks is on Zion and company.

Duke is seeded as No. 1 in the East region. Multiple sportsbooks have them at 2-1 odds. However, the Kentucky team was near to even odds before they bowed out prior to the national championship game.

Fellow No. 1 seeds Virginia, Gonzaga and North Carolina are all close to Duke in the odds. Virginia, who last year made history by being the first No. 1 seed to be eliminated in the first round, has 6-1 odds. Gonzaga and the Tarheels both are listed at 8-1. After those four, odds jump up into double digits. Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State and Tennessee make up strong dark horse teams.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

However, if Virginia does win this year, Vegas will pay out heavily. In January, MGM Sportsbooks took a “near six-figure” bet on the Cavaliers to win the title. At the time, the team had 12-1 odds.

“Virginia is really the only bomb we’re facing,” Jay Rood, MGM vice president of risk, told ESPN.

ESPN reports similar trends. In the 1.3 million completed brackets on their website, close to 54% of entries picked Duke as the winner. North Carolina was the second-most popular choice, picked to win it all in 11.5% of brackets.

The No. 1-ranked Duke Blue Devils (5-0) took down the No. 8 Auburn Tigers (4-1) 78-72 Tuesday evening to advance to the Maui Invitational championship game.

Duke tops Auburn In Maui Invitational

After draining ten triples in their 90-64 victory over against San Diego State Aztecs (2-1), the Blue Devils were held to less than 30 percent beyond the arc by the Tigers.

Duke’s leading scorer, R.J. Barrett struggled to find his stroke and matched Cam Reddish with 18 points. Barrett made just seven of his 20 shots from the field.

The Blue Devils took advantage of Auburn’s inability to convert from the three-point line in the opening minutes and spurted out to an early double-digit lead that grew to 33-16 with 5:51 left in the first half.

But the Tigers eventually found success using a trio of triples and a couple of dunks to cut the Duke lead down to as few as six, and the Blue Devils entered the locker room with a 41-33 lead.

Center Marques Bolden was clutch when his team needed it most, scoring 11 points, nine rebounds, and a career-high seven blocks. With the Tigers cutting a 17-point lead down to six prior to the break, Bolden put the Blue Devils on his back out of the locker room with pairs of blocks and dunks to help Duke stretch the lead back to 16.

Auburn bounced right back with a 12-4 run of its own, with 6-foot-11 center Austin Wiley leading the charge.

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“I thought their two guards are really as good as any two guards in the country,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said of Auburn’s comeback. “They are big-time elite guards and we did, overall, a good job against them. But they are elite… They can beat anybody.”

The Tigers’ leading scorer Jared Harper cut the lead down to just five with 8:19 remaining, but Reddish responded with a three of his own from way downtown on the next possession to maintain the Duke lead.

“They were down five and he came down, it wasn’t called or anything, he just, boom, he got us back to eight,” Krzyzewski said. “It’s a big-time play. I thought that was the play of the game, really.”

Auburn refused to let Zion Williamson dominate the interior in the opening 20 minutes, but the agile freshman recovered in the second half, electrifying the crowd with an assist on an alley-oop pass to Barrett and finding his offensive rhythm to bring his final total to 13 points.

With the Blue Devils (5-0) holding a ten-point lead and less than five minutes left, Bolden put the cherry on top of his night with a big block on a layup by Samir Doughty before running the length of the floor for an alley-oop off an assist by Tre Jones. On the next play, Bolden added yet another block.

“This is the best, by far, that we have protected our basket in a few years,” Krzyzewski said about Bolden’s performance. “The defense was exquisite. It was at the highest level. Seven blocks and changing some shots, man, that’s a heck of a performance.”

Duke will play in the championship game Wednesday against No. 3 Gonzaga, which knocked off Arizona 91-74 Tuesday night. This game will air on ESPN at 5 p.m. EST from Lahaina Civic Center.

Duke’s larger-than-life freshman group of Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, Cameron Reddish, and Tre Jones had their first taste of adversity in the second game of the season against Army. The teams battled it out until finally pulling away in the second half, topping the Black Knights 94-72.

Duke’s Freshmen Clear Army Hurdle On Way To No.1

Duke jumped to No. 1 in the AP Poll from the preseason rank of No. 4 and has now been ranked No. 1 in 135 weeks, passing UCLA for the most weeks in AP Poll history. But the hurdle of Army’s Black Knights to get there wasn’t so smooth.

The trio of Williamson, Barrett, and Reddish all surpassed the 20-point mark for the second consecutive game, thrusting them to a win at home. The sensational Williamson scored 21 first-half points off of making 11 of 14 shots, ending with 27 altogether. He also grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked six shots.

The Duke Blue Devils pulled off a 118–84 victory over the Kentuck Wildcats in the eighth Champion Classic season opener on Tuesday night, and looking back at this game, the Blue Devils appear to be headed for an extremely successful season.

Duke’s beats Kentucky in Champions Classic

The Wildcats’ 34-point loss was not only the largest of head coach John Calipari‘s career but it was the worst margin of defeat suffered by an AP top-two team since 1951. 

“They’re a very good team,” Calipari said. “If they play like that, they’re not losing many, if that’s who they are.”

Duke’s all-freshman “Big Three” combined to score 83 points, which was only one point fewer than Kentucky’s entire team had on the night.

“I’m really proud of my guys,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “You start four freshmen, no matter how talented they are, you never know what they’re going to do in this environment against an outstanding team and great program. And they responded. They were magnificent.

Duke notched its 100th point with a whopping 7:38 still left to play, smashing the previous record of 94 (set by Kansas, against Duke, back in 2013).

The Bule Devils also edged out 2014–15 Kentucky for the largest Champions Classic margin of victory, overtaking the Wildcats’ 32-point 2014 win over the Kansas Jayhawks.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Duke had just four turnovers on the night, coughing it up on only 4.9% of its possessions. (Kentucky, for context, turned it over on 18.3%). It was the lowest rate of any of the 188 Division I teams that played D-I opponents on Tuesday night, per kenpom.com.

R.J. Barrett set a Duke freshman record with 33 points, six assists and four rebounds asserting himself as Duke’s best player. The Wildcats simply didn’t have an answer for Barrett, who scored 20 points in the first half.

Zion Williamson put up 28 points and seven rebounds. Williamson’s 28 points came in just 23 minutes of action, and he missed just two of 13 attempts from the field. Altogether, he posted the highest offensive rating (164) of anyone on either side in the game.

Duke point guard Tre Jones pitched in with six points, seven assists, four rebounds and didn’t turn the ball over once. He was one of just five Division I players who had at least seven assists with no TOs on opening night, and the only freshman of those five.

Duke’s Cam Reddish added 22 points and four steals.

The Blue Devils are now No. 1 in Wednesday morning’s Top 25 and One, while Kentucky has dropped to No. 9.

Duke will play host to the Army Sunday afternoon. The game will air on ESPN at 1:00 p.m. EST.

Kentucky’s next game will be against Southern Illinois Friday night at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Head coach for the Louisiana State University men’s basketball team Frank Williams “Will” Wade and incoming Duke freshmen Zion Williamson’s names surfaced at Tuesday’s session of an ongoing federal conspiracy trial against an aspiring player agent and two former Adidas executives.

Duke Zion Williamson and LSU Coach Will Wade’s Names Surface At Trial

A trio of defense teams attempted to enter an array of new evidence to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who denied many of the admissions.

Among the evidence that Kaplan refused was a recorded conversation between Kansas assistant Kurtis Townsend and Adidas consultant Merl Code, and a similarly recorded conversation between LSU coach Wade and player liaison Christian Dawkins.

Townsend was caught on a wiretap expressing a willingness to provide money and other benefits in exchange for No. 4 overall 2018 recruit Williamson.

Kaplan refused to admit the Code-Townsend conversation into evidence because it occurred just 12 days before Code was arrested in September 2017. Kaplan deemed this to mean that this conversation did not offer sufficient insight into Code’s state of mind at the time of his alleged fraud, which would have already occurred by then.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Casey Donnelly, a defense attorney for former Adidas executive Jim Gatto, told the court that the government had wiretapped a conversation in which Wade told Dawkins “there are others — involved in it,” then tells Dawkins he is shutting his door. “I can get you what you need,” Wade then continued, “but it’s got to work.”

The defense confirmed the player’s identity as Balsa Koprivica. Koprivica is a Serbian basketball player who is considered one of the top ten college recruits in the Class of 2019.

The conversation between Dawkins and Wade was not admitted on grounds of relevance, because none of the defendants were being charged in relation to any activity connected to Wade, LSU or Koprivica.

In this corruption trial, the schools are assumed to be the victims of fraud because they would have admitted and provided scholarships to players who were not NCAA-eligible.

The defense attorneys tried to enter this evidence onto the record to show that their defendants were not defrauding the universities, and were instead working among the schools’ highest-paid and most visible employees.

Newly-recruited Duke forward Zion Williamson has already made a name for himself, as a top NBA prospect, but on Tuesday he wowed fans even more with a magnificent dunk.

Duke’s Zion Williamson Throws Down Amazing Dunk

Williamson, 18, is a big guy to say the least: He is 6-foot-7 and weighs 285 pounds, and he used his size to thrown down a spectacular dunk from the free-throw line at a practice on Tuesday.

The Blue Devils forward’s teammates unsuprisingly cheered him on in amazement.

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Williamson has already drawn comparisons to top NBA stars like LeBron James and Julius Randle because of his strength and playing style. What seems certain is that the youngster is poised to play for a great collegiate program under Mike Krzyzewski, one of the NCAA’s top basketball coaches.

Here are some other stellar dunks Williamson has scored in recent weeks, as a well as a major shot block:

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

According to NBC Sports, Williamson also recently impressed at Duke by setting a team record for the vertical leap last month. Williamson would probably be one of the heaviest players in the NBA if he were to join the league soon.

Let’s hope Williamson doesn’t become somebody prone to tripping or injuring other players like former Duke guard Grayson Allen was.

Duke recruit Zion Williamson landed some vicious dunks during Wednesday night’s All-American Game, although they came at a cost as he injured his thumb in the second half.

Zion Williamson thumb injury All-American Game

The Spartanburg, South Carolina forward drove to the basket, lost control of the ball and put down his right hand to brace the fall. Williamson was taken to the locker room to be examined. He did not return and finished the game with eight points nad five rebounds in 17 minutes.

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Williamson’s parents reportedly said following the game that he is doing “fine.” The forward reportedly saw a personal orthopedist on Thursday upon returning home to South Carolina, although his father Lee Sartor dismissed these reports.

“There were a lot of reports that we were rushing him back home to have him looked at by a special doctor and that’s not true,” Sartor said. “He’s OK.”

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One of Williamson’s teammates, Nazreon Reid, told ESPN that it seemed as if the recruit had dislocated his thumb.

Williamson is ranked second in the nation by ESPN.

The West won Wednesday’s game 131-128. Watch Williamson’s injury and highlights of his and Barrett’s big dunks for the East team:

Malik Newman led the top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks to a thrilling, 85-81 overtime victory over Duke in an NCAA Elite Eight matchup on Sunday with a 32-point performance.

Kansas vs. Duke NCAA elite eight game score

With the win over the No. 2-seed Blue Devils, Kansas has advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 2012. Newman scored all 13 of the Jayhawks’ points in OT and his 32 points were a career high.

SLIDESHOW: 30 Best Sports Instagrams!

Kansas (31-7) next faces fellow top-seed Villanova on Saturday in San Antonio. It will be the Jayhawks’ 15th Final Four appearance. Villanova defeated No. 3-seed Texas Tech 71-59 on Saturday.

“Everything we’ve been through…we do it for moments like this,” Kansas star Devonte’ Graham said. “Especially after the last two years, getting over the hump. It just feels (perfect).”

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Sunday’s contest featured 18 lead changes and 11 ties.

Duke’s Grayson Allen took a bank shot in the final seconds, but it went just wide.

Newman, a sophomore who started playing for Kansas late this year, sank his fifth and last three-pointer with 1:49 remaining to put the Jayhawks up 81-78. Newman then added four consecutive free throws.

Trevon Duval scored 20 points, two shy of a career high, for the Blue Devils. Freshman star Marvin Bagley added 16 points and ten rebounds in what may have been his final game with Duke (29-8). The Blue Devils last reached the Final Four in 2015, when they won the national title.

Allen had 12 points for Duke, which already boasts four five-star recruits committed to join the program next year.

Allen ended his college run with 1,996 total points.

No. 11-seed Loyola Chicago and No. 3-seed Michigan will also face off in the Final Four. They defeated No. 9-seeds Kansas State and Florida State, respectively, to advance to the semifinals.

The No. 2-seed Duke Blue Devils will face the No. 11-seed Syracuse Orange in a third-round NCAA Tournament matchup on Friday, and here is everything you need to know.

Duke vs. Syracuse Sweet 16 2018 Preview

Duke (28-7) is making its 26th appearance in the Sweet 16. The Blue Devils are 110-36 (.753) in the NCAA Tournament, which is No. 1 all-time in winning percentage and No. 3 in wins. Their 26 Sweet 16 appearances are second-most.

Head coach Mike Krzyzewski has led Duke to the Sweet 16 for the 24th time, a record number of bids by a coach. Coach K’s 93 tournament victories are also the most.

Unlike Duke, Syracuse’s (23-13) two wins this tournament have been close. The Orange’s offense hasn’t yet scored more than 60 points in a contest.

Here are some key players to watch on each team:

Duke: Marvin Bagley III (21.2 ppg, 11.3 rpg)│Grayson Allen (15.6 ppg, 4.6 apg)│Wendell Carter Jr. (13.6 ppg, 9.2 rpg)

Syracuse:  Tyus Battle (19.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg)│Oshae Brissett (14.9 ppg, 8.9 rpg)│Franklin Howard (14.6 ppg, 4.7 apg)

Friday’s game will be held at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska and begin at 9:30pm EST.  The matchup will air on CBS.

The college basketball website kenpom.com gives Duke an 81% chance of winning.

LOUISVILLE, KY – FEBRUARY 20: Grayson Allen #3 of the Duke Blue Devils dribbles the ball during the game against the Louisville Cardinals at KFC YUM! Center on February 20, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The No. 9 Duke Blue Devils will visit the No. 21 North Carolina Tar Heels, and here are some facts to know before the ACC matchup.

Duke vs. UNC Basketball preview

Duke (19-4, 7-3 ACC) is coming off an 81-77 loss at St. John’s on Saturday. Coach Mike Krzyzewski said after the game that he drew up six plays during timeouts that day, but that his team failed to execute them.

“I don’t know what happened, if someone had a laser from the stands and said, I’m going to make you mind dead or whatever,” said Krzyzewski. The Blue Devils are third in their conference.

Meanwhile, UNC (17-7, 6-5 ACC) is sixth in the conference. The Tar Heels crushed Pittsburgh 96-65 on Saturday, a victory that snapped a three-game losing streak.

Krzyzewski said his players will need to work as a team and not as individuals, while sophomore center Marques Bolden said it’s impossible to truly prepare a freshman for a major contest against an opponent like UNC, especially on the Tar Heel’s home court.

“We just try to tell them to play their game and not play to the crowd or their environment because we know it’ll be an away game and a hostile environment,” Bolden said. “We just tell them to do what you’ve been doing and play hard.”

North Carolina is one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the NCAA. They rebound 38.2 percent of their misses, which is third best in the nation. Duke is first in the country in offensive rebounds, but has struggled with defensive rebounds.

UNC, led by coach Roy Williams, also ranks 15th in opposing 2-point percentage and 313th in opposing 3-point percentage.

Duke vs. UNC:

Date: Feb. 8, 2017

Time: 8 pm EST

Place: Smith Center, Chapel Hill, NC

TV Channel: ESPN

CHAPEL HILL, NC – DECEMBER 21: Joel Berry II #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels drives to the basket against the Northern Iowa Panthers during the game at the Dean Smith Center on December 21, 2016 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

The No.5 Duke Blue Devils will travel to face the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Tuesday night, and here is everything you need to know before the big matchup.

Duke vs. Wake Forest basketball preview

Duke (17-2, 5-2 in ACC) is fourth in their conference. The Blue Devils have won four straight games, and their only two losses have come against NC State and Boston College.

The Devils played the Deacons at home on Jan. 13, and handily won 81-69, despite missing head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who was out with a virus. Associate head coach Jeff Capel took over.

Wake Forest (8-11, 1-6 in ACC) are 14th in the conference. Its only ACC victory was against Syracuse.

Duke boasts several top players like freshmen forwards Wendell Carter Jr. and Marvin Bagley III. Freshman reserve guard Alex O’Connell has also delivered significantly for the Devils.

The Blue Devils also routed Pittsburgh 81-54 on Saturday.

Duke vs. Wake Forest: 

Date: January 23, 2018

Time: 9 pm EST

Place: Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC

TV Channel: ESPN FC

CHICAGO, IL – NOVEMBER 14: Wendell Carter Jr #34 of the Duke Blue Devils is fouled by Jaren Jackson Jr. #2 of the Michigan State Spartans during the State Farm Champions Classic at the United Center on November 14, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. Duke defeated Michigan State 88-81. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Duke and Michigan State’s men’s basketball teams made powerful statements in Tuesday’s game at Chicago’s United Center — with warmup shirts.

Duke vs. Michigan State Game Score

The Blue Devils wore t-shirts with the word ‘EQUALITY’ written across the chest, while the Spartans donned shirts that read: “We talk, we listen.”

Duke previously wore those same shirts in a preseason exhibition game against Northwest Missouri State last month.

“We wanted to make sure that basically the equality shirt stood for ‘one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,'” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski told the News & Observer when the team wore the shirts in late October. “Does that sound familiar? It’s part of the Pledge of Allegiance and it’s basically what our program and our school is about. That’s what we want our country to be.”

Blue Devils captain Grayson Allen — who scored a career-high 37 points in No. 1 Duke’s 88-81 victory over No. 2 Michigan State (1-1) — added that the team had engaged in several discussions over recent national anthem protests across major sports leagues.

“We had a few discussions as a team about what’s been going on in the country specifically with the national anthem, and we decided that as a team we would stand and wear the equality shirts,” Allen told reporters.

Trevon Duval added 17 points and ten assists for Duke (3-0) in the Champions Classic.

“I’ve played in 90 more games than the four teammates that are out there with me,” said Allen, Duke’s only senior in its starting lineup. “I feel a little more comfortable and calm and confident out there. Watching a lot of film of me my last two years, it’s good sometimes to go 100 mph, but it’s also good to slow it down a few times, so that’s the adjustment I’ve tried to make and I think it makes me more comfortable out there.”

The Blue Devils lost freshman Marvin Bagley to a righty eye injury midway through the first half. Krzyzewski has now improved to 12-1 in his career against Michigan State.

Michigan State shot 51 percent from the field, but were out-rebounded 46-34 by Duke.

Duke associate head coach Jeff Capel III was not on the bench because his father died Monday at age 64. Jeff Capel Jr., a longtime basketball coach at the college and pro level, was diagnosed with ALS in the spring of 2016.

The Spartans next host Stony Brook on Sunday in the PK80-Phil Knight Invitational. Duke next hosts Southern on Friday night.

CHICAGO, IL – NOVEMBER 14: Wendell Carter Jr #34 of the Duke Blue Devils is fouled by Jaren Jackson Jr. #2 of the Michigan State Spartans during the State Farm Champions Classic at the United Center on November 14, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. Duke defeated Michigan State 88-81. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Duke freshman forward Harry Giles is entering this year’s NBA draft, the university announced Tuesday.

Duke Freshman Harry Giles Entering 2017 NBA Draft

The 6-foot-10 18-year-old, who missed two seasons in high school due to a pair of torn ACLs, was out for the first 11 games of this season because of a third knee injury. Giles was ranked as the No. 1 player in the freshman class by ESPN.

A spokesman for the Blue Devils, Gary Walton, says Giles plans to hire an agent.

“Playing in the NBA has been my goal for as long as I can remember, and I’m so excited to take the next step in that journey,” the power forward said in a statement issued through the school. “My time at Duke has been a dream come true.”

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski praised Giles in a separate statement.

“With his uplifting personality and love for the game, Harry Giles has been a joy to coach,” Krzyzewski said. “He is only beginning to scratch the surface of how good he can be on the basketball court. Harry has an exciting NBA future ahead of him and we are here to fully support him as a member of our brotherhood.”

Giles averaged 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game this season. He is now the 11th player in the Blue Devils’ history to declare for the draft after his freshman year. Teammate Jayson Tatum was the 10th last week. Each of the previous nine were first-round picks, with eight of them going in the lottery.

Several NBA executives told ESPN will probably be selected in the latter half of the round, and ESPN Insider Chad Ford ranks Giles as the No. 14 prospect in the 2017 NBA draft.

Duke was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by South Carolina in the second round on March 19.

NC State point guard Dennis Smith Jr. is also reportedly entering the draft. Smith Jr. averaged 18.6 points, 6.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and 35.9 percent from beyond the arc in his only season as a player for the Wolfpack.

DURHAM, NC – JANUARY 04: Harry Giles #1 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after drawing a foul against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 4, 2017 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

John Gillon proved to be the hero of Syracuse’s Wednesday night home game, as he sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Orange to a 78-75 victory over the No. 10 Duke Blue Devils.

John Gillon’s Buzzer-Beater Lifts Syracuse to 78-75 Win vs Duke

Syracuse’s win came after three straight losses, and also snapped Duke’s seven-game winning streak.

As soon as Gillon scored the final basket — which came after the Blue Devils’ Luke Kennard missed on a jumper and Syracuse got the rebound — the crowd at Carrier Dome went wild and stormed the court to celebrate the thrilling win.

Tyler Lydon commandeered the rebound on Duke’s final shot. He passed to Tyrus Battle first, and then Battle fed Gillon for the game-winner, which came off the backboard.

Gillon finished with 26 points, and was 3-of-4 from the 3-point line. The guard struggled in the first eight minutes, his only shot being an airball. Battle, who fought flu-like symptoms the last few games, had 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting.

“The second half I thought Tyus (Battle) first really just attacked, he had a stretch there where we were really struggling and he made some unbelievable plays like he did the last game that he was healthy,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said.

Kennard scored 23 points for Duke. Grayson Allen was just 2-of-11 from the floor and 1-of-8 from beyond the arc.

After the game, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski disputed the notion that his program and Syracuse’s are rivals.

“I don’t think it’s a rivalry,” Krzyzewski said. “I think every game in this league, everybody has a rivalry with us. Everybody wants to beat us. It’s been that way for 25 years. That’s the human nature I live in. I have to be ready for that, and I have to have my teams ready for that.”

Coach K likely feels this way partly because of his affinity for Boeheim, who is his Olympic assistant.

“I love Syracuse and obviously I love Jim and his family,” Krzyzewski said. “Congratulations to him. You don’t know what a treasure you have with him. … He’s brilliant, competitive, loyal and he doesn’t need his ego scratched. He’s humble. I love the guy and I’ll be forever grateful for him. It’s hard for me to think of a rivalry with Jim or Syracuse.”

Syracuse (17-12, 7th in Atlantic Coast) have now boosted their NCAA Tournament hopes. The Orange next travel to Kentucky to play Louisville on Sunday afternoon.

Duke (22-6, 3rd in Atlantic Coast) will next visit the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday.

SYRACUSE, NY – FEBRUARY 22: John Gillon #4 of the Syracuse Orange drives to the basket during the second half as Amile Jefferson #21 of the Duke Blue Devils guards on February 22, 2017 at The Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse upsets Duke 78-75. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 28 points to help lead the 12th-ranked Duke Blue Devils to a 65-55 road victory over the No. 14 Virginia Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

Jayson Tatum Leads Duke to 65-5 Win vs Virginia

Tatum– a former No. 2 overall pick– scored 21 of his points in the second half, and was 6-of-7 on 3-pointers. The Devils freshman forward is shooting under 32 percent from three on the season.

Fueled by a sellout crowd at John Paul Jones Arena, Virginia took a 9-2 lead early in the game.

Duke eventually trimmed the deficit behind back-to-back threes by two talented shooting guards, junior Grayson Allen and sophomore Luke Kennard. 

In the second half, Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski said he simplified the offense by letting his players create chances for themselves.

“If we don’t hold the ball, if we move it, we’ll create openings where we don’t have to run plays; they can make plays,” Krzyzewski said. “That’s what we were doing in the second half. We were just trying to move the ball and give them an opportunity to be basketball players.”

The game also marked the third consecutive contest where Duke had a leading scorer reach 25 points or more. Allen, who scored just five points against the Cavaliers– his second-lowest total of the season– praised Tatum for his sharp shooting skills.

“It’s a nice luxury to have,” said Allen. “We all know Jayson is very capable of that. When we saw him hit the first couple, we just kept going back to him. I told him if it’s below 10 [seconds on the shot clock], you better come get the ball from me.”

Kennard finished with 16 points and was the only other Duke player to score in double digits. Krzyzewski had told Tatum he was playing with too much hesitation when he got the ball.

“Coach told me to shoot our bullets when we’re open,” Tatum said. “Coach was on me about that today, and I think that got me going. Just shooting when I was open.”

Blue Devils freshman forward Harry Giles contributed five points, three rebounds and two steals in 19 minutes of play.

Virginia shot a season-low 36.8 percent on Wednesday.

The Cavaliers next travel to Chapel Hill, N.C. to play No. 8 North Carolina on Saturday night for College GameDay.

Duke, meanwhile, next host Wake Forest on Saturday afternoon.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – FEBRUARY 15: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Duke Blue Devils shoots a basket over London Perrantes #32 of the Virginia Cavaliers during a game at John Paul Jones Arena on February 15, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images)

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, soon set to return to the Blue Devils’ sideline after undergoing back surgery earlier this month, informed players at a meeting Tuesday night they were banned from their own locker room and from wearing team apparel, sources told ESPN.

Duke Coach Krzyzewski Bans Own Players From Locker Room And From Wearing Blue Devils Apparel

Sources also revealed to ESPN that Krzyzewski’s punishment– which he has used several times before– will last “until (players) start living up to the standards of the Duke program.”

After the meeting, the players held a separate players-only meeting, a source told ESPN.

“He needs to do more than just take away their jerseys,” added another source close to the program. “There are bigger issues that need to be addressed.”

Injuries to freshmen Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles and Marques Bolden kept them out for the beginning of the season, although the 15-5 Blue Devils squad has had other troubles that have placed Coach K in the spotlight. Veteran Amile Jefferson has also missed time due to injury.

Krzyzewski received criticism for reinstating Grayson Allen from his indefinite suspension after just one game following the aggressive junior guard’s third tripping incident and ensuing temper tantrum on the bench last month.

Duke is 2-3 since Coach K underwent successful surgery on Jan. 6.

Monday’s 84-82 home loss to NC State was the third defeat in the past five games for the Blue Devils, who squandered a late lead in that game that led to Duke’s first home loss to the Wolfpack since 1995.

After a first half against Miami last Saturday in which Duke trailed by 11 points, acting coach Jeff Capel sat starters Luke Kennard, Allen and Giles. The team delivered a strong second half that led to a home victory.

The Blue Devils next visit Wake Forest on Saturday.

NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 06: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils reacts against the Florida Gators in the second half during the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on December 6, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Grayson Allen has gained a reputation for being somewhat of a dirty player, and now the Duke guard has again gotten confrontational with an opponent.

Watch: Duke’s Grasyon Allen Shoves NC State Player In Blue Devils’ 84-82 Loss

As Allen began walking to his team’s bench in the first half of the Blue Devils’ 84-82 home loss to NC State, he and the Wolfpack’s Terry Henderson got tangled up, and Allen seemed to push Henderson.

At first, it seems as though Allen simply walked straight through the Wolfpack’s huddle when a timeout was called.

However, upon taking a closer look, it seems rather obvious that the Duke guard planned to bump into Henderson, who responded by pushing Allen back as another teammate backed him up.

Allen has previously been criticized by opposing teams’ players and coaches, as well as announcers, for tripping opponents or engaging in other types of overly-aggressive and illegal play.

Led by freshman sensation Dennis Smith Jr., NC State used a late 20-5 run to defeat the No. 17 Blue Devils on Monday. Duke led 68-59 late in the contest, but Smith Jr.’s game-high 32 points and six assists ignited his team’s fervent rally as the Blue Devil offense went silent.

“It’s very disappointing for us. We had some opportunities there, but we didn’t capitalize on them,” Duke interim coach Jeff Capel said. “We couldn’t make a shot in the second half, got some good looks—we have to finish those—and then down the stretch couldn’t come up with a stop. Give them credit, they were terrific and we have to keep working to get better.”

The Blue Devils shot just 2 of 14 from long range after halftime– including six 3-point misses in the final 4:38– in taking their first home loss of the season. Duke trimmed the lead to two with 39.9 seconds left and one with 6.4 seconds left, helped by an NC State (14-7, 3-6 in the ACC) turnover and five Wolfpack missed free throws, but fell short in their third loss in four games.

The win marked NC State’s first at Cameron Indoor Stadium since 1995.

Luke Kennard led four Duke players in double figures with 20 points.

Duke (15-5, 3-4 in the ACC) will seek to bounce back from another disappointing loss when they take on Wake Forest next Saturday afternoon.

NC State, meanwhile, will visit the Louisville Cardinals on Sunday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4m-QAwH30E

DURHAM, NC – JANUARY 23: Grayson Allen #3 of the Duke Blue Devils drives between Maverick Rowan #24 and Ted Kapita #23 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 23, 2017 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)