Proctor drains six threes to lead Duke to ACC title

• Tyrese Proctor knocks down six threes in Duke's decisive 73-62 ACC championship win
• Duke was without NCAA star Cooper Flagg because of an ankle injury
• Duke are a one-seed in March Madness

Tyrese Proctor delivered a masterclass in perimeter shooting, finishing with a game-high 19 points built on an exceptional 6-from-14 from beyond the arc to lead the Duke Blue Devils to the ACC championship 73-62 against the Louisville Cardinals on Sunday at the Spectrum Center in North Carolina.

The Australian guard's ability to stretch the floor proved decisive in Duke's march to the 2024-25 title.

All 14 of his field goal attempts were from three. He finished 19 points after going 1-of-5 from the free throw line. He added one rebound, two assists and a steal to cut the nets down.

What makes Proctor's performance even more impressive is that he accounted for 60% of Duke's made three-pointers, with the team connecting on 10 of their 27 attempts from deep for a solid 37% success rate.

Key Details

• Result: Duke Blue Devils 73 def. Louisville Cardinals 62
• When: 16th March 2025
• Where: Spectrum Center, North Carolina

By the Numbers

• Tyrese Proctor (Duke) starred with 19 points, one rebound, two assists, and one steal in 37 minutes.
• Terrence Edwards Jr. (Louisville) scored 29 points, and had six rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 40 minutes.

What Happened

Louisville started strong, taking a 38-33 lead into halftime behind Edwards Jr.'s hot shooting. The Cardinals connected on 15 of their first 32 shots, building their advantage with disciplined offensive execution and strong defensive pressure.

The game shifted dramatically after the break as Duke emerged with renewed energy. The Blue Devils outscored Louisville 40-24 in the second half, completely flipping the momentum.

Proctor's impact grew as the game progressed, with the guard hitting six three-pointers. His first of the second half came at the 19:20 mark to cut the lead to two at 38-36. His second came at 11:59 to go to push the lead to 55-47. His third just 15 seconds later made it 60-49 and Duke were rolling, without NCAA superstar Cooper Flagg, who was out with an ankle injury.

Duke's balanced offense proved decisive with four players scoring in double figures. Knueppel contributed 18 points and eight rebounds, while Sion James added 15 points, six rebounds and two assists. The Blue Devils' improved shooting in the second half—converting 55 per cent from the field compared to 36 per cent in the first half—was the difference-maker.

Defensively, Duke contained Louisville's supporting cast effectively, forcing players other than Edwards Jr. to make plays. The Blue Devils recorded six steals and five blocks, including two from freshman sensation Khaman Maluach, who also grabbed 10 rebounds. Louisville managed just 26.9 per cent shooting from three-point range (7-from-26) while Duke connected on 37 per cent (10-from-27) from deep.