The No. 4 University of Arizona men’s basketball team (24-12, 14-6 in Big 12) is set to compete against No. 1 Duke University (33-3, 19-1 in ACC) in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament at 6:39 p.m. MST in Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
The Wildcats suffered a loss the the Blue Devils earlier in opening season play but have defeated both the University of Akron and the University of Oregon in their last two March Madness games. Duke overcame Mount St. Mary’s and Baylor University in their last two matchups.
History vs. Duke
Earlier this season on Nov. 22, 2024, Arizona battled against Duke in McKale Center and came away from the game with a brutal 69-55 loss. From 1961, to the present day, the Wildcats are 6-5 over the Blue Devils. Arizona’s latest win against Duke came in 2023 as they would win in a close 78-73 battle in Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. However, Duke has proved to be a dominating force on the court with many impressive players, such as Cooper Flagg.
Duke players to watch
The Blue Devils are led by Jon Scheyer, who has been the head coach for the past three seasons. Scheyer was a former Duke All-American and was also captain of the Blue Devils for two seasons. While this is only his third season in this position, Scheyer has been with the Blue Devil men’s basketball program since 2013, when he joined as a special assistant. He’s led Duke to its impressive 33-3 record this season.
Tyrese Proctor, a 6-foot-6 junior guard, averages 12.5 points per game and shoots 45.1% from inside. Notably, Proctor averages 3.1 rebounds per game and has contributed 79 assists this season, a crucial playmaker for the Blue Devils. Proctor is a dangerous threat from the 3-point line, going 86-for-207 this season, the most of any player on Duke’s roster.
In Duke’s last win over Baylor on March 23, Proctor led the team with 25 points, a game-high. Proctor shot a nearly perfect game, going 9-for-10 from the floor and 7-for-8 from beyond the arc. Proctor also grabbed one board and had two assists. Proctor is dangerous in all areas of the court and difficult to contain in high-level matches like March Madness games where energy is high.
Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-9 freshman guard/forward, has dominated the entire NCAA this season. He leads the Blue Devils in not just points but also in rebounds, assists and steals with averages of 18.7 points and 7.5 boards per game, and a combined 141 assists and 49 steals for the season. Flagg falls second in blocks by one, rejecting 43 shots this season.
Against Baylor, Flagg put up 18 points, the second most for the game. However, Flagg was able to secure nine rebounds, tying with Baylor’s Norchad Omier for a game-high. Flagg was able to find a game-high with six assists, creating openings for other Blue Devils. He shot 5-for-11 from around the floor and 1-for-4 from beyond. While this is an accomplished performance to most, Flagg’s season has proven him to be capable of much more, which could see against the Wildcats.
Kon Knueppel, a 6-foot-7 freshman guard/forward, currently stands at second for the Blue Devils with 14.1 points per game. He also secured a 3.9 board average per game. Knueppel shoots an impressive 90.8% from the free-throw line and finds ways to draw the foul to earn those shots. To add, he averages 47.6% from the floor and 39.3% from the 3-point line.
Against Baylor, Knueppel had 12 points, shooting 4-for-5, including 2-for-3 from outside. Knueppel grabbed one rebound and had three assists. Knueppel made 2-for-2 free throws he earned from drawing fouls. Knueppel is a dangerous guard to foul with such a high percentage from the line.
Wildcats to watch
The Wildcats are led by fourth-season head coach Tommy Lloyd. Over Lloyd’s four NCAA Tournament appearances, Arizona has earned an average seed of 2.25, ranking as the second-best in the nation during that period. Lloyd has accumulated 112 wins in his four seasons, placing him second in NCAA Division I history.
Caleb Love, a fifth-year guard, has been remarkably impressive for the Wildcats in recent games. Against the University of Oregon on March 23, Love put up 29 points and was one rebound away from a double-double. Love shot 10-for-18 from the floor and 5-for-7 from beyond. Additionally, Love secured four assists, 4-for-4 free throws and one steal.
Love leads Arizona with an average of 16.8 points per game. He has gone 93-for-277 from the 3-point line this season and 203-for-517 in field goals. Love also averages 4.4 boards per game. This season, he has earned a spot as one of five finalists for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award.
Tobe Awaka, a 6-foot-8 junior forward, dominates the board for the Wildcats. He averages eight boards per game and still holds an 8.2 points per game average as well. Awaka holds an impressive 64.4% in field goals. Awaka has also had 21 blocks this season, an asset of defense for Arizona.
Over Oregon, Awaka secured a game-high of 14 rebounds, 11 of which were grabbed in the first half. Awaka is a beast beneath the hoop and a major part of earning Arizona possession and second chances offensively. Awaka also managed to score 12 points, flushing 6-for-8 from the field.
Anthony Dell’Orso, a 6-foot-6 junior guard, made crucial free throws in Arizona’s game against Oregon to secure their win. Dell’Orso has proven to thrive under pressure, going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line and stretching the gap to victory for the Wildcats. Dell’Orso scored 12 points for the game and shot 50% from the 3-point line as well.
For the season, Dell’Orso averages 7.3 points per game, 1.4 boards per game and has one of the highest percentages from the 3-point line, shooting 0.41. Impressively, he also shoots 44.9% overall. Dell’Orso has been a major part of the team in recent games and has been seeing quite a few starting lineups for Arizona as well.
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