Proctor struggles as Duke advances to ACC semis

• Tyrese Proctor leads Duke into NCAAM ACC Semi-Final despite shooting woes
• Proctor finished with six points, five rebounds and three assists
• Cooper Flagg injured in first half, uncertain for Semi-Final

Australian point guard Tyrese Proctor struggled from the field but still ran the show as the No1 ranked Duke Blue Devils defeated Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 78-70 ACC Tournament Quarterfinal at Spectrum Center on Friday, March 14, 2025.

Proctor finished just 2-from-11 from the field for six points, he also grabbed five boards, three assists and a steal. He was 0-from-5 from three.

Duke teammate Kon Knueppel led the charge with 20 points as Duke advanced the ACC tournament semi-finals. The Blue Devils could be without NCAAM's top player Cooper Flagg after he went down with an ankle injury in the first half.

He was taken to the locker room in a wheelchair.

Key Details

• Result: Duke 78 def. Georgia Tech 70
• When: 14th March 2025
• Where: Spectrum Center, NC, USA

By the Numbers

• Kon Knueppel (Duke) starred with 20 points and four rebounds in 40 minutes.
• Duncan Powell (Georgia Tech) scored 21 points, had three rebounds, one assist, and one block in 34 minutes.

What Happened

The Yellow Jackets established control early, jumping to a 9-6 lead midway through the first half behind Duncan Powell's hot shooting from beyond the arc. Powell connected on his first three-pointer at the 16:36 mark, giving Georgia Tech momentum.

Duke struggled initially, shooting just 1-from-5 from three-point range in the opening five minutes. However, the Blue Devils mounted a comeback led by Tyrese Proctor and Khaman Maluach to take a 26-31 deficit into halftime. Powell's stellar shooting kept Georgia Tech competitive, as he scored 10 points on 3-from-4 shooting from beyond the arc in the first period.

The game shifted dramatically after the break. Duke's defense intensified, limiting Georgia Tech to just 43.5% shooting from the field in the second half. Kon Knueppel found his rhythm, scoring 14 of his 20 points after halftime, including a clutch layup at the 4:57 mark that pushed the Blue Devils' lead to 60-50.

With 8:01 remaining, Isaiah Evans delivered a pivotal three-pointer for Duke, extending their advantage to 54-43 and firmly seizing control. Georgia Tech made a late push, with Darrion Sutton hitting a three-pointer with 1:27 left to cut the deficit to six points, but Duke's free throw shooting proved decisive in the final minutes.

Both teams showcased impressive three-point shooting, with Georgia Tech connecting on 12-from-27 (44.4%) from beyond the arc compared to Duke's 7-from-30 (23.3%). However, Duke dominated inside, outscoring Georgia Tech 40-28 in the paint and recording seven blocks to Georgia Tech's three. The Blue Devils also maintained better ball control with just eight turnovers to Georgia Tech's 11.