The Duke Blue Devils emerged victorious in a captivating contest against the Baylor Bears, with a final score of 78-70. The game, held at Madison Square Garden, witnessed an outstanding performance from Jared McCain, who scored 21 points, and reserve forward Ryan Young, who played a vital role in the team’s late-game surge.
Jeremy Roach also made a significant contribution to the team’s triumph, adding 18 points to the scoreboard, while Kyle Filipowski demonstrated an impressive performance with 13 points and 10 rebounds. The match, which saw two of the previous eight national champions face off, proved to be an intense and closely contested affair.
With only six minutes remaining on the clock, the game was tied at 61 before Duke managed to secure a lead by scoring nine consecutive points. This surge was part of a 14-1 run which ultimately allowed them to take control of the game. Despite having preseason All-American Filipowski on the bench due to accumulating four fouls, Ryan Young stepped up and made a crucial layup off a feed from Roach, propelling Duke into the lead.
Young’s exceptional performance continued as he assisted McCain with a 3-pointer, grabbed a crucial rebound, and then sank two free throws to cap off the pivotal 9-0 spurt. Young, a fifth-year captain who typically plays limited minutes, received a thunderous ovation from Duke fans in the crowd of 18,512 as he returned to the bench. The four points he scored pushed him past 1,000 in his career, which began at Northwestern.
Due to injured point guard Tyrese Proctor’s absence, Duke’s freshman Caleb Foster started once again. Proctor has been sidelined for the team’s last three games due to a sprained left ankle, sustained in a previous game against Georgia Tech.
Despite the loss, the Baylor Bears, who had six players averaging at least 10 points per game, put up a commendable performance and showcased their competitive edge. Having suffered a blowout loss to unranked Michigan State, the Bears have now dropped two games in a row following their impressive 9-0 start.
On the other hand, the Duke Blue Devils, following a two-game losing streak on the road, exhibited their prowess and resilience by securing their third consecutive win. Playing for the first time in eight days after an exam break, the Blue Devils delivered their best performance of the season, improving their record at Madison Square Garden to 41-18.
In the closing moments of the game, Duke fans at Madison Square Garden chanted “Our house! Our house!” after witnessing their team’s thrilling victory. Looking ahead, Baylor will host Mississippi Valley State followed by a game against Cornell before opening their Big 12 campaign against Oklahoma State. Duke, on the other hand, will next host Queens at Cameron Indoor Stadium before diving into their ACC schedule with a game against Syracuse.
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