CORAL GABLES, Fla. — In a dominant performance on Tuesday night, Kon Knueppel led Duke with 20 points, while Cooper Flagg and Isaiah Evans each contributed 16 points, enabling No. 2 Duke to decisively defeat Miami with a score of 97-60.
Flagg, anticipated to be the top choice in the upcoming NBA draft, also made a significant impact with six assists and five rebounds for the Blue Devils, who now hold an impressive record of 25-3 and 16-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Duke established a 15-point advantage by halftime, and Knueppel further extended their lead early in the second half with eight points, contributing to a 16-2 surge that left them firmly ahead at 65-36.
On the Miami side, Lynn Kidd put up 17 points while Jalil Bethea added 13. However, the absence of guard Matthew Cleveland was keenly felt, and the team suffered its fourth defeat by over 35 points this season, which is a stark contrast to the team’s history of just four such losses between 1987 and 2024.
Takeaways include Duke’s impressive form, having won five consecutive games, each by an average of 31 points, and marking their 13th victory by at least 25 points this season. Miami, on the other hand, approaches an unfavorable milestone with 22 losses this season, falling just short of the school’s record set in 1991-92 when they went 8-24.
A critical moment came in the first half when Evans hit three back-to-back 3-pointers over 1:40, effectively countering Miami’s shots and boosting Duke’s lead to 29-14.
Duke’s victory also carved a new record for coach Jon Scheyer, as he boasts a 79-21 record, the best start in the first 100 games in school history, surpassing Vic Bubas and Mike Krzyzewski’s own early records at Duke.
Looking ahead, both teams will be back in action on Saturday, with Duke returning home to host Florida State, and Miami traveling to face North Carolina.
