Duke freshman A.J. Griffin is heading to the NBA, becoming the fifth Blue Devils player in the past week to declare early for the draft.
The school announced Griffin's decision Sunday, the last day for players to declare themselves eligible for the NBA draft.
Duke’s Paolo Banchero is leaping to the NBA after one season as a candidate to be the No. 1 overall draft pick.
The 6-foot-10, 250-pound freshman announced his decision in a social media video Wednesday, with the school saying he planned to hire an agent.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s farewell tour is headed to his record-setting 13th Final Four after Duke overwhelmed Arkansas 78-69 on Saturday night in the Blue Devils’ most complete performance of this NCAA Tournament run.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Mike Krzyzewski slowly climbed up the ladder, bowed to the adoring Duke fans and then pointed to his players to give them the credit before cutting the final string of the net.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — When Duke's season and Mike Krzyzewski's coaching career were on the line in the closing minutes of the Sweet 16, it was a talented freshman who made sure it wouldn't end.
Paolo Banchero delivered the key plays down the stretch of the victory over Texas Tech that sent the Blue Devils into the West Region final against Arkansas.
Mike Krzyzewski's farewell tour was thisclose to over.
Duke trailed Michigan State 70-65 with 5:10 left to play Sunday and there was next to nothing he could do about it.
“I’m an Army guy,” recalled Krzyzewski, who played for Bobby Knight at West Point and started his coaching career there.
Duke survived a tense finish against Michigan State and extended Mike Krzyzewski’s final NCAA Tournament run, beating Tom Izzo’s Spartans 85-76 on Sunday in the Hall of Fame coaches’ bittersweet last tussle.
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Duke began retiring Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski’s final NCAA Tournament with minimal stress, beating Cal State Fullerton 78-61 on Friday night.
Freshman Paolo Banchero scored 17 points to lead the Blue Devils (29-6), who jumped to a double-digit lead in the first 4 1/2 minutes and remained in control throughout.
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Mike Krzyzewski got the defensive improvement he wanted to start the NCAA Tournament after some shaky performances down the stretch of his final season.
Duke began the retiring Hall of Famer's last journey through the brackets with minimal stress, beating Cal State Fullerton 78-61 on Friday night.
NEW YORK (AP) — Mike Krzyzewski's last Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament will end in the final game.
Paolo Banchero had 18 points and 11 rebounds and No. 7 Duke held off Miami with free throws in the final minute as the Blue Devils and their retiring Hall of Fame coach advanced to the ACC championship with an 80-76 victory Friday night.
Wake Forest guard Alondes Williams is The Associated Press men’s basketball player of the year for the Atlantic Coast Conference, while the Demon Deacons' Steve Forbes was named coach of the year after leading them to an unexpectedly strong season.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina spoiled the emotional home finale of retiring Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski, beating fourth-ranked rival Duke 94-81 on Saturday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
The day that was all about the coach who has 1,196 career victories and five NCAA championships abruptly turned into a season-defining performance for the Tar Heels, who played fearlessly in an extra rowdy arena and shot 59% after halftime.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Freshman guard Trevor Keels scored a career-high 27 points, Paolo Banchero added 21 and No. 4 Duke clinched at least a share of its 13th Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title under coach Mike Krzyzewski with an 86-56 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike Krzyzewski is attempting to stay in the present, even as the days slip by and the going-away presents and “last” milestones keep piling up. Even as retirement looms whenever Duke's season — and Krzyzewski's remarkable coaching career — ends at some point over the next five weeks.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — With Syracuse's big man out for the season, the Orange again were no match for No. 7 Duke.
Mark Williams scored a career-high 28 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, Paolo Banchero had 21 points and dished out nine assists with one turnover in the heart of the Syracuse zone defense, and AJ Griffin added 20 points as the Blue Devils raced to a commanding early lead and beat Syracuse 97-72 on Saturday night.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Joey Baker hadn't seen a 3-pointer fall in three weeks for Duke. He stayed confident that it was just a matter of time.
When he got hot Saturday night, so did the ninth-ranked Blue Devils in finally stretching out a lead in a tight game.
Duke's A.J. Griffin needed time to get comfortable again after missing most of the past two seasons, along with some of this year's preseason, due to injuries.
The freshman is thriving now as a shot-maker with size and athleticism, pushing the 18-year-old high on NBA draft boards with potential to grow his game even more.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Collin Gillespie had five 3-pointers and a career-high 33 points, including a key 3 with 23 seconds left, and 10th-ranked Villanova held on to beat eighth-ranked Providence 89-84 on Tuesday night.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Seemingly little went to plan for ninth-ranked Duke after halftime Tuesday, from being without its retiring Hall of Fame coach to blowing a huge lead in its famously rowdy arena.
BOSTON (AP) — A big second half capped off a very busy week with a victory for No. 7 Duke.
Paolo Banchero had 16 points and 14 rebounds as Duke pulled away midway into the second half for a 72-61 victory over Boston College on Saturday.
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Duke went from the high of battering rival North Carolina last weekend to the low of losing on a last-second shot to unranked Virginia two days later.
So coach Mike Krzyzewski couldn't be happier with how his seventh-ranked Blue Devils took care of business Thursday night in an 82-64 victory over Clemson.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Reece Beekman hit a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining, leading Virginia to a 69-68 victory over No. 7 Duke on Monday night.
It was just the second 3-pointer on 12 attempts for the Cavaliers.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Reece Beekman has a knack for connecting on big shots and he did it again Monday night on another big stage for Virginia.
Beekman hit a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left and the Cavaliers knocked off No.
WACO, Texas (AP) — James Akinjo scored 25 points and Matthew Mayer had all nine of his points in the closing minutes while putting No. 8 Baylor ahead to stay as the Bears overcame West Virginia 81-77 on Monday night.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — In his last visit with his Duke basketball team to Notre Dame’s Purcell Pavilion. coach Mike Krzyzewski couldn’t have been more pleased with the defensive effort of his No. 9 Blue Devils.
A look at the upcoming week around the Atlantic Coast Conference:
GAME OF THE WEEKEND
No. 9 Duke at Louisville. The Blue Devils (16-3, 6-2) remain the league’s only AP Top 25 team and now they’re headed to an unusual circumstance by facing a team fresh off a midseason coaching change.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had missed two straight shots when Clemson took a late lead over Duke. With the game on the line, Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski continued to call plays designed for the star freshman.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — AJ Griffin attempted 10 shots Saturday, nine of them from behind the arc. If Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski had his way, Griffin would've put up even more.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Mark Williams patrolled the lane with an assertive edge that had him cleaning up misses, swatting away shots and scoring through contact from defenders flailing to stop him.
It was a reminder of the 7-foot-1 sophomore's potential up front for eighth-ranked Duke.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Duke labored through two games with shaky shooting and turnover-prone play since returning from a COVID-19 outbreak.
This time the eighth-ranked Blue Devils got their offense rolling behind a blossoming freshman and an opportunistic defense — all without Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski on the sideline.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 24 points and eighth-ranked Duke hit 13 straight shots to blow it open after halftime and beat Wake Forest 76-64 on Wednesday night with Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski sidelined by illness.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Everyone knew Paolo Banchero had the size and skills to be a top NBA prospect before he ever played at No. 2 Duke. The big freshman has been working to be even better at using that combination to overmatch opponents.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Mike Krzyzewski could sense his Duke players were battling fatigue by halftime in the second-ranked Blue Devils' return from a COVID-19 outbreak. So he kept the message simple.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — A.J. Griffin attacked the paint for a whistle-drawing basket, then headed toward the sideline to exchange excited high-fives with Duke's famously rowdy home fans.
After struggling to break loose against Virginia Tech, the second-ranked Blue Devils were showing off their edge behind Griffin, fellow freshman Paolo Banchero and a smaller-ball lineup that powered a second-half burst.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — After having two different opponents bow out due to COVID-19 issues, No. 2 Duke beat last-minute replacement Elon 87-56 on Saturday.
The Blue Devils (10-1) led 44-26 by halftime and never trailed.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Wendell Moore Jr. scored 21 points as No. 2 Duke pulled away for a 92-67 victory over Appalachian State on Thursday night.
Moore made 8 of 11 shots and had five rebounds and six assists.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — AJ Griffin scored 19 points and No. 2 Duke cruised past South Carolina State 103-62 on Tuesday night.
In 21 minutes off the bench, Griffin shot 7 of 8 with four rebounds and four assists.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — AJ Griffin scored 19 points as No. 2 Duke cruised past South Carolina State 103-62 on Tuesday night.
In 21 minutes of play off the bench, Griffin connected on 7 of 8 shots and tallied four rebounds and four assists.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State's resiliency was too much for top-ranked Duke to handle.
Zed Key scored a career-high 20 points and Ohio State held No. 1 Duke scoreless for the final 4 1/2 minutes, completing a rally from a 15-point second-half deficit to beat the Blue Devils 71-66 on Tuesday night.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Zed Key scored a career-high 20 points and Ohio State held top-ranked Duke scoreless for the final 4 1/2 minutes, completing a rally from a 15-point second-half deficit to beat the Blue Devils 71-66 on Tuesday night.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — In a town known for major championship fights, it seemed only fitting a long-anticipated 40-minute heavyweight bout between No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 5 Duke take place in Las Vegas.
Paolo Banchero scored 21 points to help Duke hold off a turnover-prone Gonzaga team 84-81 on Friday night in front of an announced 20,389 fans — the largest basketball crowd ever in Nevada.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 21 points to lead No. 5 Duke over No. 1 Gonzaga 84-81 on Friday night.
Duke (7-0) handed Gonzaga (6-1) its first loss since April’s national title game, when Baylor beat the Bulldogs.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Wendell Moore Jr. scored 23 points and No. 7 Duke used a few smooth stretches in the second half to pull away for an 88-55 victory over Lafayette on Friday night.
AJ Griffin came off the bench to score 18 points for Duke (5-0), which had too many weapons despite some early snags.