Duke’s Tyrese Proctor simply couldn’t miss, and the top-seeded Blue Devils proved they had the toughness to match Baylor’s physicality in a dominant 89-66 victory Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament East Region.
Proctor led the charge with a career-high seven 3-pointers and 25 points, continuing his recent hot streak and erasing any doubts after his early ACC Tournament struggles. The junior guard made 9 of 10 shots overall, including an eye-popping 7 of 8 from deep, marking his third straight game with at least six made threes.
Freshman Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, while Duke (33-3) shot a program-record 64.4% in an NCAA Tournament game. The Blue Devils drained 12 three-pointers, committed only six turnovers, and dismantled the ninth-seeded Bears (20-15) with ease.
With the win, Duke advances to the Sweet 16 in Newark, New Jersey, where it will face the winner of No. 4 Oregon vs. No. 5 Arizona on Thursday.
Baylor hung tough early, increasing the game’s physicality with relentless work on the offensive glass. The Bears grabbed 18 offensive rebounds—a 23-shot advantage over Duke—but struggled to capitalize, shooting just 36.8% from the field.
Duke took full control in the final 7 ½ minutes of the first half, outscoring Baylor 24-6 during that stretch to take a commanding 47-30 halftime lead. The Blue Devils’ offensive execution was nearly flawless, and their defensive intensity kept Baylor from making a serious comeback.
Flagg endured a right-eye poke during a rebounding battle, while teammate Mason Gillis walked away with a noticeable red scratch stretching from his neck toward his throat. But Duke never wavered, responding with toughness and discipline.
Baylor got no closer than 13 points in the second half, as Proctor’s shooting clinic and Duke’s efficiency kept the Bears at bay.
Baylor, led by freshman V.J. Edgecombe’s 16 points, once again fell short of the tournament’s second weekend. Since winning the 2021 national championship, the Bears have now been eliminated in the Round of 32 for four straight years.
Sunday also marked a reunion for Baylor’s Jeremy Roach, who played four years at Duke before transferring. Roach finished with seven points and three rebounds, but his former teammates ensured it wasn’t a memorable night for the veteran guard.
The game featured a testy moment in the second half when Baylor forward Marino Dubravcic was called for a flagrant-1 foul after dragging Duke’s Patrick Ngongba to the ground. As the 6-foot-10 Dubravcic got up, he exchanged words with Flagg, with both players towering over an official separating them.
But Duke kept its composure and never let Baylor’s physicality shake them—a key factor in their dominance.
Playing just 30 minutes from their Durham campus at Lenovo Center, Duke erased any lingering bad memories from past struggles in the arena. The Blue Devils had lost seven of their last 11 games there, including an infamous 2014 first-round loss to 14-seed Mercer. This time, they left no doubt.
With Proctor’s shooting, Flagg’s all-around brilliance, and near-flawless offensive execution, Duke is marching into the Sweet 16 with confidence. Awaiting them is either Oregon or Arizona, but if they keep playing like this, the Blue Devils will be a tough out for anyone.
