Duke Basketball

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski credited Ohio State for a relentless effort that allowed the Buckeyes to overcome a 13-point halftime deficit to upset the top-ranked Blue Devils on Tuesday night.

"I thought they wore us out," Coach K told reporters after the 71-66 loss in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. "We were really worn out at the end. ... They're well-coached. They're well-balanced."

The loss dropped Duke to 7-1 while OSU improved to 5-2 on the 2021-22 season.

It was a tale of two halves for Krzyzewski's group offensively. They made 18 of their 34 field-goal attempts before halftime (52.9 percent), but just seven of their 31 shots in the second half (22.6 percent) to leave the door open for the Ohio State comeback.

The Buckeyes took advantage, knocking down five threes as part of a rally that improved their home record to 4-0.

"I thought our ability to stay with it was really important," OSU head coach Chris Holtmann told reporters. "Players win games, and we had a number of guys make plays down the stretch."

Zed Key led the offensive charge for Ohio State with 20 points in 27 minutes. E.J. Liddell added 14 points, 14 rebounds and six assists, while Cedric Russell chipped in 12 points off the bench.

"We really dug in on the defensive side of things," Russell said. "It just felt good to come out on top, especially at home."

Wendell Moore Jr. (17 points) and Paolo Banchero (14), the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, paced Duke in the loss.

The Blue Devils were coming off their biggest win of the season to date, an upset of then-No. 1 Gonzaga on Friday. They also beat No. 10 Kentucky during their 7-0 start to the campaign.

Duke has a couple weeks off following the loss before returning to action Dec. 14 when it hosts South Carolina State at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Ohio State is back in action Sunday when it visits the Bryce Jordan Center to open Big Ten play against Penn State.

Duke's reign atop the college basketball rankings will be short-lived. 

The Ohio State Buckeyes stunned the Blue Devils on Tuesday night, 71-66 at the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, closing the game on a 14-1 run in the final five minutes.

E.J. LIDDELL ICE IN HIS VEINS ❄️

OSU DEFEATS NO. 1 DUKE 😱 pic.twitter.com/oUPie6PJpA

— ESPN (@espn) December 1, 2021

🚨 NO. 1 DUKE ON UPSET ALERT 🚨 pic.twitter.com/om2KUs6QB8

— ESPN (@espn) December 1, 2021

Ohio State's defense earned them the win, namely in a second half that saw Duke score just 23 points. But Zed Key was equally impressive, scoring a career-high 20 points to lead the Buckeyes. 

That spoiled another solid performance from the pair of Wendell Moore Jr. and Paolo Banchero, though they couldn't prevent the Blue Devils from blowing a 13-point halftime lead.

The loss dropped the Blue Devils to 7-1 on the year, while Ohio State moved to 5-2. 

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Key Stats

Zed Key, OSU: 20 points

E.J. Liddell, OSU: 14 points, 14 rebounds, six assists

Malachi Branham, OSU: Eight points

Paolo Banchero, Duke: 14 points, five rebounds

Wendell Moore Jr., Duke: 17 points, eight rebounds, five assists

Jeremy Roach, Duke: Nine points

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Ohio State Overcame Free-Throw Woes And Turnovers To Steal A Win

It's hard to beat most teams when you go 11-of-22 from the charity stripe, or commit 12 turnovers. Beating a team as good as Duke with those self-imposed errors is basically impossible. 

Imagine if Ohio State could make free throws.

— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) December 1, 2021

But somehow, Ohio State prevailed. The Buckeyes had the home crowd behind them, and consistently got stops in the second half. 

It wasn't pretty. They did it the hard way. But it was a huge statement win for an Ohio State team that was still smarting from two losses in its previous three games against Xavier and Florida.

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Banchero And Moore Couldn't Quite Do Enough

Banchero made plenty of headlines with a 20-point first half against Gonzaga, so his effectiveness on Tuesday night—at least in the first half—was hardly a surprise. He's a special player, and only a freshman. 

This scoop shot from Paolo Banchero was a BEAUTY 🤩 pic.twitter.com/0bY2jEvmyA

— ESPN (@espn) December 1, 2021

He's got NBA written all over him. 

Moore, a junior, has more experience on this level, and when he hit a pair of tough buckets to end a Duke cold streak in the second half, it looked as though that experience was paying off.

I say this every game, but I cannot get over Wendell Moore's confidence change from his freshman year. It's, like, not even the same dude.

He's not taking that two years ago, or even last year... and he's not making it, either. (Especially not with two fouls...)

— Brendan Marks (@BrendanRMarks) December 1, 2021

Wendell Moore is a National Player of the Year candidate. Feel free to try and change my mind.

— David Thompson (@daveth89) December 1, 2021

But neither Banchero or Moore came up big down in the clutch. Duke didn't make a bucket in the final 5:19 of the game, with the Buckeyes ending the contest on an 11-0 run. Banchero or Moore needed to end the run. Neither could.

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What's Next?

Ohio State will travel to face Penn State on Sunday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. ET. Duke gets a longer break and is next in action on Tuesday, Dec. 14, when they host South Carolina State at 8 p.m. ET.

Paolo Banchero scored 21 points Saturday night to pace No. 5 Duke in an 84-81 victory over No. 1 Gonzaga in the 2021 Continental Tire Challenge at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Wendell Moore Jr. added 20 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals for the Blue Devils, who improved to 7-0 on the 2021-22 season. Mark Williams chipped in 17 points and nine boards.

"This was a really big-time game," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski told reporters. "What a great crowd."

Julian Strawther (20 points), Drew Timme (17), Chet Holmgren (16) and Rasir Bolton (15) all scored in double figures for the Zags, but it wasn't enough to prevent their first loss of the campaign as they fell to 6-1.

Saturday's early-season clash of national championship contenders lived up to the hype with a back-and-forth battle that went right down to the wire.

The key sequence came when a Jeremy Roach layup gave Duke a three-point lead with 42 seconds remaining and Gonzaga failed to score on the ensuing possession. A subsequent pair of Moore free throws extended the advantage to five for the Blue Devils, who held on for the minor upset.

"It felt like a Final Four-type game," Timme told reporters. "The atmosphere was great, and it was two Goliaths going at it."

Gonzaga head coach Mark Few gave credit to Duke not only for Saturday's win but also for Krzyzewski's work creating a program that's one of the nation's gold standards. Coach K is set to retire at season's end.

"We've always asked over the years before we've had to make decisions on anything—how we travel, how we operate, how we schedule, facility-wise—the first question always is, 'What's Duke doing?'" Few said. "I don't think I can pay any higher respect than that."

The Bulldogs finished the game with more fouls (24-15), which helped Duke hold an eight-point edge from the free-throw line, and more than double the turnovers (17-8). Those two categories were key in a game that wasn't decided until the final minute.

It's the second top-10 win of the campaign for the Blue Devils, who opened the season with a triumph over No. 10 Kentucky on Nov. 9. They don't have another game against a currently ranked opponent on their schedule as part of what's shaping up as a down year for the ACC.

Next up for Duke is a visit to Value City Arena on Tuesday to face off with Ohio State (4-2) as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Meanwhile, Gonzaga probably won't lose its status as the title favorite despite the loss, as it already had wins over No. 5 Texas and No. 2 UCLA under its belt.

The Zags return home to the McCarthey Athletic Center to face off with Tarleton State (1-5) on Monday.

Duke freshman forward Paolo Banchero said the team has "moved on" from an incident involving himself and teammate Michael Savarino, who was arrested and charged with driving while impaired and driving after consuming under the age of 21 on Nov. 14.

Banchero, who faces a charge of aiding and abetting impaired driving, said he didn't address the team because "they all know what happened" and want to shift the focus back to the 2021-22 season.

"We all learned from it," Banchero told reporters after scoring 28 points in Monday's 107-81 win over The Citadel. "I can't really say much about it. We learned from it and we handled it as a team. We've moved on, though. We want to get on with our season."

Savarino, the grandson of Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski, remains suspended from team activities following the arrest.

Steve Wiseman of the Raleigh News & Observer reported Nov. 16 that Savarino, 20, was pulled over by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol following a stop-sign violation when the officer noticed signs of impairment, including a "strong odor of alcohol" and "red glassy eyes."

The police report stated the junior guard performed poorly on a field sobriety test and confirmed to police he'd consumed alcohol. It also noted the Jeep SUV being driven by Savarino was registered under Banchero's name. Banchero, 19, was a passenger in the car and released from custody at the scene.

Banchero is due back in court Dec. 8, while Savarino has a Dec. 9 court date, per Wiseman.

Savarino is a former walk-on who was elevated to scholarship status ahead of the current season. No timetable has been provided on his return from suspension.

Banchero, the potential first overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, has continued to play since the incident.

"It's two entirely different situations," Krzyzewski said after last Tuesday's win over Gardner-Webb. "Headlines make it look like it's the same, but it's not. The decisions we made are in conjunction with our authorities and my superiors. We're taking action and we'll continue to take action."

Banchero has averaged 17.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 54.9 percent from the field across his first six college games.

"My teammates had my back, so it wasn't too hard for me," he said Monday. "I'm not going to say it wasn't on my mind the past two games. It was. I feel like today was a bounce-back game for me, and I felt good out there."

Duke (6-0), the fifth-ranked team in the country, continues its season Friday with a high-profile clash against No. 1 Gonzaga (5-0) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Duke men's basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski told reporters why he started Paolo Banchero against Gardner-Webb on Tuesday after the freshman was charged with aiding and abetting DWI two days earlier.

"Two different situations. Two entirely different situations. Headlines might make it look the same—it's not," Krzyzewski said.

"The decisions we made are in conjunction with our authorities—my seniors. We took action and will continue to take action."

Banchero finished with 10 points and eight rebounds in 26 minutes as Duke beat Gardner-Webb 92-52.

The 19-year-old Banchero and Michael Savarino, who is Krzyzewski's grandson, were arrested by the North Carolina Highway Patrol on Sunday morning, per the News & Observer's Steve Wiseman.

The 20-year-old Savarino, who was initially pulled over after failing to yield at a stop sign, was arrested for driving while impaired.

As noted by ESPN's Jeff Borzello, Savarino's license has been revoked for 30 days.

In addition, Savarino was driving a 2017 Jeep registered to Banchero, who was sitting in the backseat. Both players are due in court next month.

Banchero is averaging 17.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game thus far for the No. 7 Blue Devils, who have started 4-0.

Duke forward Paolo Banchero and guard Michael Savarino are facing potential legal charges following an arrest by North Carolina Highway Patrol on Sunday morning.

According to the News & Observer's Steve Wiseman, Savarino was taken into custody for driving while impaired, while Banchero was charged with aiding and abetting DWI.

Wiseman provided a comment from Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski: "We are reviewing a legal matter involving two members of the men's basketball team. Any further actions as a result of this situation will ultimately be determined by the Vice President/Director of Athletics and University officials."

Highway Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Christopher Knox told Wiseman that police pulled Savarino over for a stop sign violation. The 6'0" junior had a blood alcohol content of 0.08 after performing a Breathalyzer test.

Banchero arrived at Duke to great fanfare since he was the No. 2 overall player in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2021 class. The 6'10" forward dropped 22 points and seven rebounds in Duke's 79-71 win over No. 10 Kentucky to open the season.

Savarino is the grandson of Krzyzewski, and his mother, Debbie, is an assistant athletic director for the Blue Devils. He originally walked onto the team before earning a scholarship ahead of this season.

Duke (3-0) returns to action Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium against Gardner-Webb. Banchero will be available for the game, according to The Fayetteville Observer's David Thompson.

According to Wiseman, Banchero is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 8 and Savarino on Dec. 9. 

The No. 9 Duke Blue Devils started off the season with a 79-71 win over the No. 10 Kentucky Wildcats at Madison Square Garden in the 11th annual Champions Classic on Tuesday.

Trevor Keels had 25 points to lead the Blue Devils. Paolo Banchero added 22 points and seven rebounds.

Paolo Banchero is too smooth 🥶 pic.twitter.com/0VyB5X7J7b

— ESPN (@espn) November 10, 2021

The Wildcats start the season 0-1 for the first time since 2018-19, also losing their season-opener to Duke that year. Oscar Tshiebwe had a team-high 17 points and 19 rebounds.

It was the first game of Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski's farewell season. The Wildcats still lead the all-time series 12-11, but he can take comfort in the fact that he won his potential final battle of the Blue Bloods.

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Notable Player Stats

G Trevor Keels, Duke: 25 points

F Paolo Banhcero, Duke: 22 points, 7 rebounds

F Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky: 17 points, 19 rebounds

G Sahvir Wheeler, Kentucky: 16 points, 10 assists

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Duke Uncovers Gem In Trevor Keels

A likely top-five pick in next year's NBA Draft, Banchero is the freshman who commands the headlines for Duke. Banchero looked as-advertised for as long as he was on the floor, but Keels might be the catalyst to the Blue Devils' success this season.

The 6'4" combo guard knows how to use his size to his advantage on both ends of the court. Keels is a hounding defender and a relentless rim attacker. He helped Duke build a double-digit lead in the second half when Banchero exited the game due to cramps.

On cue, powered up an and-one on Mintz. Five-star freshman has 17 points. Duke leads 55-48, 13:57 to go. Danger zone for Kentucky. https://t.co/xGw8ReqnoW

— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) November 10, 2021

Trevor Keels is bullying people around the court.

— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) November 10, 2021

It’s already time to move Trevor Keels up the draft boards.

— Jay King (@ByJayKing) November 10, 2021

Keels scored 16 of his 25 points in the second half. He proved that he can be a go-to option for Duke while Banchero was on the bench. The 18-year-old also set the tone by getting to the free throw line often. The Blue Devils shot 23 free throws compared to just seven attempts by the Wildcats.

Trevor Keels has been the best player on the court all night. #DukeNation #KentuckyBasketball

— Jason Jordan (@JasonNCJordan) November 10, 2021

If the Blue Devils hope to be successful this season, someone else will have to emerge as a consistent secondary scorer alongside Banchero. Duke looks to have found just that in Keels. If he continues to take advantage of his size, Keels will have a highly productive freshman season.

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Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe Doesn't Get Enough Support

Tshiebwe was the engine that made Kentucky go Tuesday. His presence on the floor proved key as the Wildcats fell behind while he was on the bench with foul trouble. But once he got back onto the floor, he helped Kentucky make a comeback thanks to his activity inside on both ends.

Oscar Tshiebwe: back in the game.

Opens the second half with back-to-back buckets on feeds from Wheeler, who's up to 7 assists.

Then Washington takes a charge, Brooks nails a 3. Kentucky leads, 42-41. Well then.

— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) November 10, 2021

But Tshiebwe couldn't do it all himself. When he went on the bench again in the second half, the Wildcats fell behind by double digits. Tshiebwe re-entered the game and helped Kentucky once again cut into the lead.

Pandemonium at the Garden. Tshiebwe corrals a loose ball, powers in an and-one. He has 15 and 14, UK down 69-65, 6:09 to go. Wow. https://t.co/1NHj0ye529

— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) November 10, 2021

Sahvir Wheeler started off hot with 12 points and five assists in the first half, but he scored only four points and had five assists in the second half while finishing with seven turnovers. Tshiebwe and Wheeler were the only players to score in double figures on Monday.

Oscar Tshiebwe needs help. Not enough tonight. He's killing himself on the glass. Up to 15 points, 16 rebounds (11 offensive) and 2 blocks. But got tied up on that last one. Duke's next substantial punch is likely the knockout blow.

— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) November 10, 2021

Kentucky freshman TyTy Washington struggled Tuesday, scoring nine points on 3-for-14 shooting. He looked to be pressing and made typical freshman mistakes all night, and the Wildcats will need him to mature quickly.

Kentucky is more of a veteran-laden team this year than in previous seasons. Tshiebwe and Wheeler are both juniors, and they look to be the team's top options to start the season. But the Wildcats will need someone else to produce consistently if they hope to make it back to the NCAA tournament.

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What's Next?

The Blue Devils will be back in action at home Friday against Army for the school's Veterans Day Weekend Showcase. The Wildcats will look to bounce back in the Kentucky Classic on Friday against Robert Morris in Lexington.

Duke men's basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski's final season patrolling the Blue Devils sidelines started getting underway Friday with the 12th annual Countdown to Craziness event from Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.

The Blue Devils played a pair of 12-minute intrasquad scrimmages split between "Duke Blue" and "Duke White."

Here's how those matchups went down as Duke gears up for its regular-season opener against Kentucky at the State Farm Champions Classic in New York on Nov. 9.

     

Game 1: Duke Blue 22, Duke White 22

The rosters for the first game were as follows, with the Blue team on top, per Brendan Marks of The Athletic:

Duke's lineups for tonight's scrimmage...

Trevor Keels
Jeremy Roach
Theo John
Joey Baker
Bates Jones

VS.

Wendell Moore Jr.
Jaylen Blakes
Paolo Banchero
Mark Williams
Michael Savarino

— Brendan Marks (@BrendanRMarks) October 15, 2021

Trevor Keels and Joey Baker each led the Blue team with seven points, and Jeremy Roach added six assists. Keels' four rebounds guided his squad.

Wendell Moore Jr.'s seven points proved to be the top White team mark. Mark Williams added four points and six boards, and Paolo Banchero had six points.

Here's a look at some of Banchero's efforts:

Potential No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero made his Duke debut tonight‼️ 😈 @Pp_doesit https://t.co/B9fCNJAYTy

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) October 16, 2021

Neither team ever ran away with this one before settling for the 22-all result. Blue led by as many as four, and White had a five-point edge, but neither was able to lead by more than two possessions.

The lead changed hands four times, and the score was tied on six occasions. In the end, a tie was how this one ended.

    

Game 2: Duke White 34, Duke Blue 14

The second game ended with a far different result, and these were the rosters, with the blue team on top:

Some changes for the second scrimmage...

Joey Baker
Bates Jones
Theo John
Jaylen Blakes
Michael Savarino

Paolo Banchero
Wendell Moore
Jeremy Roach
Mark Williams
Trevor Keels

— Brendan Marks (@BrendanRMarks) October 16, 2021

Marks also noted that he believed the White team's five would "probably" be the Blue Devils' starting lineup.

This time around, the White team cruised to a 34-14 win led by 12 points from Keels and 11 more via Mark Williams. Those two combined to shoot 9-of-12.

Keels also added three assists and two steals. Williams and Banchero co-led the White team with four boards, with the latter player also getting three dimes.

Moore Jr. (six points) and Banchero (five) rounded out the scoring for a White team that never trailed, shot 13-of-21 and scored 12 points off turnovers.

Theo John's seven points on 3-of-4 shooting led the Blue team. The rest of the squad had just seven points on 3-of-16 shooting. The Blue team also made just 1-of-10 three-pointers.

Overall, it was a fine showing from many Blue Devils. Brian McLawhorn of Bull City Hoops provided his takes:

*Perimeter shooting wasn't great, but I expect that to be better. Keels will be better. I think Baker will be better.

A lot of positives on display tonight.

— Brian McLawhorn (@BrianMcLawhorn) October 16, 2021

Coach K also praised Keels, who led all players with 19 total points:

Coach K says Trevor Keels is a big time player, easy to play with and does not get tired.

— Blue Devil Nation (@BlueDevilNation) October 16, 2021

Marks also praised Moore after the games:

Wendell Moore?

I think folks have mostly written him off based on the last two seasons, but he's become a REALLY good player. The confidence and comfort is on a different level. Plus, obviously, he's one of the two main leaders.

I could see him averaging something like 15-5-3. https://t.co/Xqs3zzN5f0

— Brendan Marks (@BrendanRMarks) October 16, 2021

Before the UK matchup, Duke will play an exhibition contest against Winston-Salem State at home Saturday, October 30.

The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team had an injury scare.

The program announced Saturday that freshman AJ Griffin, a top-20 recruit, suffered a sprained right knee in practice Friday. But the Blue Devils can breathe a sigh of relief, as there was "no significant structural damage."

The program did not announce a recovery timeline for Griffin. The Athletic's Brendan Marks reported Griffin is expected to miss four to six weeks. Duke's season opener is four-and-a-half weeks away, Nov. 9 against Kentucky at Madison Square Garden.

Griffin is the son of former NBA player Adrian Griffin and was a 5-star recruit out of Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York. A 6'6" forward and potent scorer, Griffin was projected as a starter.

But an injury history is piling up, as this could be his third straight season in which he misses time. He sat out 2020-21 with an ankle injury, but he still earned spots on the McDonald's All-American and Jordan Brand Classic rosters. He averaged 17.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals in 12 games as a junior, but his season was cut short by a knee injury.

Griffin was one of three 5-star recruits in Duke's freshman class along with 6'10" forward Paolo Banchero and 6'4" guard Trevor Keels.

The Blue Devils face a daunting early-season schedule with games against projected Top 25 teams Gonzaga (Nov. 26) and Ohio State (Nov. 30) within the first month of the season.     

The second-best player in the class of 2022 has chosen to play ball for Duke.

2022 Five-star Dereck Lively commits to Duke 👀🔥 @dereckl41 pic.twitter.com/KXG4LzLXSR

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) September 20, 2021

Dereck Lively II, a 5-star big man from Westtown School in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, will suit up for the Blue Devils in 2022. He's a fantastic, highly touted prospect capable of making a pronounced and immediate impact at the next level.

Brandon Jenkins, a recruiting analyst for 247Sports, published this scouting report for the high school class of 2022 prospect on June 8:

"The potential and athletic gifts of Dereck Lively are beyond tremendous. He has terrific athleticism for his size as he elevates off the floor well and is aggressive in how he utilizes his springs to protect the rim and control the glass on a consistent basis. One factor that truly stands out to scouts at the highest of levels is his commitment to being a center and playing as such.

"He values rebounding, sprinting the floor, and keeping his motor running in a high gear. He is dangerous in the screen and roll game and gives across Tyson Chandler vibes due to his length and productivity in the shot blocking and rebounding categories. However, with his budding skills on the perimeter, Lively projects as a big man prospect who could be more of a threat offensively than Chandler was."

Jenkins pegged Lively as a future first-round NBA draft pick and compared him to longtime NBA center Tyson Chandler.

Lively fielded 22 offers and took three visits, seeing Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina in person.

On June 25, Lively announced on Instagram that he cut his list of schools down to seven: Duke, North Carolina, Penn State, Michigan, Florida State, Kentucky and USC.

In the end, Lively chose the Blue Devils, who will be led by future Duke head coach Jon Scheyer when he arrives on campus. Mike Krzyzewski announced that he is stepping down after the 2021-22 season.

Lively should make the Blue Devils an instant national title contender alongside a pair of 5-star class of 2022 Duke recruits in Dariq Whitehead and Kyle Filipowski.