RALEIGH, N.C. — Tyrese Proctor was on fire as top-seeded Duke showcased their resilience under pressure. Proctor reached career highs with seven 3-point shots and 25 points, propelling Duke to a commanding 89-66 victory over Baylor in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.
The Blue Devils, favorites of the East Region, were led by freshman standout Cooper Flagg, who contributed 18 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and provided six assists. Thanks to two decisive home-state victories, Duke secured their place in the Sweet 16.
“For us to win by this margin, it speaks volumes about our team’s killer instinct, competitiveness, and unity,” Coach Jon Scheyer commented. Duke will next face either Oregon or Arizona in the Sweet 16, scheduled for Thursday in Newark, New Jersey.
Proctor, a junior, made an exceptional 7 out of 8 attempts from beyond the arc. This marked his third consecutive game with at least six 3-pointers, a stark contrast from his 0 for 10 performance in his first two matches of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. Overall, he hit 9 of 10 shots on Sunday. “It’s about my preparation, the behind-the-scenes work and self-belief,” Proctor explained.
Duke set a program record for shooting percentage in a tournament game by hitting 64.4% from the field, recorded 12 3-point shots, and only surrendered six turnovers. “Their analytics show no weaknesses,” commented Baylor coach Scott Drew. “They’re fortunate to possess size, length, and skill.”
Freshman V.J. Edgecombe added 16 points for Baylor. The ninth-seeded Bears last advanced beyond the second tournament weekend in 2021 when they won the championship during the Indianapolis bubble tournament. Duke seized control over Baylor in the 7 1/2 minutes before halftime with precise offensive plays and shored up their defense against Baylor’s aggressive rebounding. This physical game saw Flagg getting an eye injury and teammate Mason Gillis with a neck scratch from a scramble.
At halftime, Duke was ahead 47-30, and Baylor couldn’t close the gap beyond 13 points subsequently. The Bears’ shooting was at 36.8%, but they stayed in play with an 18-3 offensive rebound advantage, giving them 23 more shots than Duke. However, as Coach Drew noted, the unusual statistic didn’t convert to a win.
Baylor: After edging out eighth-seeded Mississippi State on Friday, Baylor exited in the second round for the fourth consecutive year. Duke: Playing just a short drive from their Durham campus, Duke previously had mixed outcomes at the venue, losing seven out of 11 prior games. They overcame past challenges with decisive victories against both 16-seed Mount St. Mary’s and Baylor, as Flagg returned effectively from an ankle injury.
In a familiar face-off, the game featured Jeremy Roach, a former Duke guard now at Baylor. Roach, with his history as part of Duke’s Final Four run and Coach Scheyer’s early coaching years, scored seven points with three rebounds on Sunday.
The match also involved intense moments, such as when Baylor’s Marino Dubravcic drew a flagrant-1 foul, leading to a confrontation with Duke’s Flagg before referee intervention diffused the situation.
