Big Apple blowout: 3 takeaways as Duke basketball hammers Illinois at MSG

Steve Wiseman, The News & Observer on Feb 22, 2025

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NEW YORK — Stepping briefly out of ACC play Saturday night didn’t make things any more uncomfortable than league play has been for No. 3 Duke.

At a sold-out Madison Square Garden, the hot-shooting Blue Devils needed fewer than 10 minutes to build a double-digit lead and it grew steadily from there as they hammered Illinois, 110-67, before a crowd of 19,812.

Winning for the 20th time in the its past 21 games, and fourth game in a row, Duke (24-3) continued to roll over its competition this season. The Blue Devils have now won 16 games by 20 points or more. That includes outscoring their ACC opponents by 19.5 points per game while racking up a 15-1 record that has them approaching an ACC regular-season championship.

All five Duke starters scored in double figures as the Blue Devils saw seven players score 11 points or more.

Isaiah Evans led the Blue Devils with 17 points off the bench, while Cooper Flagg led the starters with 16. Kon Knueppel scored 15 and Khaman Maluach 13 while Tyrese Proctor tallied 12 and Sion James 11.

Another reserve, Caleb Foster, scored 12 points, all in the second half

Duke shot 55.6%, hitting 12 of 23 3-pointers (52.2%) to make short work of Illinois.

Losers of three games in row, the Illini (17-11) hit just 2 of 26 3-pointers (7.7%) while shooting 37.7% overall.

Duke used its largest first-half scoring output of the season to take a 54-37 lead to intermission. When Illinois shot 28% after halftime, it had no chance to cut into the margin.

Here are three takeaways from Duke’s latest win:

Duke built big early lead without many Flagg points

The Blue Devils led by as many as 23 points in the first half but, surprisingly, amassed such a large lead without Flagg meeting his normal level of scoring production.

Flagg hit just one field goal and scored six points in the first half and Duke took a 54-37 lead to intermission anyway.

That’s because Evans and Proctor each scored 10 points in the game’s first 20 minutes. James had nine while Knueppel and Maluach eight each. Five Duke players had more points than Flagg in the first half, and Duke was comfortably in front anyway.

Illini struggle from distance

Just a 31% 3-point shooting team this season, which had it No. 306 nationally entering Saturday’s play, Illinois missed shot after shot after shot on the way to missing its first 17 3-point attempts against Duke.

By the time Tomislav Ivisic finally made one for the Illini, Duke led 63-42 with 16:01 remaining.

The Illini spread their own pain around as eight of their players took — and missed — a 3-pointer before Ivisic made his.

Maliq Brown on trip

Though not able to suit up for the Illinois game due to a dislocated shoulder, Duke’s Maliq Brown traveled with the team and was on the bench in street clothes Saturday night.

A 6-9 junior forward, Brown suffered the injury last Monday night during Duke’s 80-62 win at Virginia. Though he left John Paul Jones Arena that night with his left arm in a sling, Brown was not using the sling Saturday night. He will stay with the Blue Devils as they travel Sunday to Miami ahead of their game with the Miami Hurricanes on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. ET.

Duke coach Jon Scheyer said Thursday he was “optimistic” Brown would be healthy enough to return at some point this season. But he said the medical staff is monitoring the stability of Brown’s shoulder before knowing exactly when he could return.

After playing Miami, Duke returns to Cameron Indoor Stadium to play Florida State on Saturday before closing its home schedule against Wake Forest on March 3. The regular-season finale is March 8 at North Carolina.

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