ATLANTA — In a commanding performance, Kon Knueppel contributed 18 points and Cooper Flagg marked his 18th birthday with 13 points, as the fifth-ranked Duke Blue Devils cruised to an 82-56 triumph over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday.
Duke (10-2, 2-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play) maintained a comfortable lead for most of the game, showcasing their dominance in the second half against Georgia Tech (5-7, 0-2). Although the matchup took place in Atlanta, the atmosphere resembled that of Duke’s home court, Cameron Indoor Stadium, with numerous blue-clad fans passionately supporting their team.
Duke’s impressive freshmen class shone brightly, with Knueppel leading the way and Khaman Maluach adding 15 points to the scoreboard. For Georgia Tech, Baye Ndongo stood out as the top scorer with 14 points.
In terms of historical context, Duke has excelled in this rivalry, winning 18 of the last 20 encounters and improving its record to 67-21 since Georgia Tech became an ACC member.
Georgia Tech’s head coach, Damon Stoudamire, is experiencing challenges similar to previous coaching staff in trying to revive the basketball program’s past success. His overall record now stands at 19-25, with a 7-15 record in the ACC.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Georgia Tech closed the first half with a 14-4 run, ending the period down just 41-36 after trailing heavily earlier on. However, Duke swiftly regained control after halftime, a sequence kicked off by Maluach’s impressive dunk set up by a lob from Knueppel. Ultimately, the Blue Devils outscored Georgia Tech 41-20 in the second half, further solidifying their dominance.
Statistically, Duke was highly effective against Georgia Tech’s defense, achieving an impressive shooting percentage of 56.4% (31 of 55) from the field and hitting 10 of 25 attempts from three-point range.
Looking ahead, Duke will take a break over the holidays before returning to host Virginia Tech in an ACC matchup on December 31. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech is set to face Alabama A&M in their final non-conference game at home next Saturday.