Duke Shakes Off Rust, Beats George Mason 68-47

Photo by Lance King 

Duke basketball returned from its exam break to take on George Mason, just a week after their victory over Incarnate Word.  This matchup featured two of the nation's top five field-goal percentage defenses, setting the stage for a defensive battle.  

As expected, both teams struggled offensively in the first half. Duke held a 25-16 lead at the break, but George Mason limited them to just 27% shooting. At times, the slow pace resembled a classic Virginia game, drawing a chuckle-worthy comparison.

The second half, however, belonged to Duke and their star freshman, Cooper Flagg. Flagg exploded for 17 of his 24 points after halftime, finishing with an impressive stat line of 24 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. “That was a great team,” Flagg said postgame. “Extremely physical, scrappy. They played really composed and with a lot of poise. It’s a team that, if you’re not careful and you don’t come out with the right mindset, they can really jump on you. I thought we came out with a great mindset, a very defensive-based mindset, and I thought we did a great job.”

Duke’s defense stood tall once again, holding George Mason to under 50 points—the second straight game they've accomplished this feat, a first for the program since November 2022. While the offense is still finding its rhythm, the Blue Devils are showing signs of improvement as ACC play begins, with plenty of time to sharpen their form before March Madness.

Head coach Jon Scheyer praised his team’s effort and the challenge George Mason presented. “I thought it was a really good win for us,” Scheyer said. “I have a ton of respect for Tony Skinn, George Mason, and their team. Coming in, they were 7-3. They lost two games that they either should have won or could have won. They’re experienced, incredibly well-coached, and disciplined. We knew how tough they were on defense. And for us, having a week off, we've obviously worked on a lot.  I thought we had good carryover. I think there’s obviously a lot we can do better. Khaman impacts the game in so many ways. Protecting the rim, had eight rebounds, guarding two really good big men. And I thought Sion had such an impact on winning. He had a +31. Cooper was a warrior out there. I think that comes with his competitive spirit and being in attack mode. We need him that way. We have to help him be that way all the time."

Duke's  68-47 victory not only surpassed the -19.5 spread but also marked the conclusion of their non-conference schedule for the time being. Their next non-ACC matchup is slated for February 22nd against Illinois at Madison Square Garden. With a challenging out-of-conference slate that included showdowns against Kentucky, Arizona, Kansas, and Auburn, the Blue Devils have positioned themselves well for what looks to potentially be an unpredictable ACC season.  

​Up next, Duke hits the road to face Georgia Tech in Atlanta this Saturday.