Relive Duke's key moments on their 2025 championship run

This collection of stories highlights key moments from Duke's 2025 championship pursuit, driven by standout freshmen and crucial performances.

Cooper Flagg set an ACC freshman scoring record with 42 points against Notre Dame, and later, he battled through a sprained ankle during the NCAA Tournament. Duke clinched a dominant win over Alabama to secure a spot in the Final Four, with Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach leading the team.

Duke earned a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed and faced challenges such as their first ACC loss to Clemson and a comeback victory against Georgia Tech without their top defender. Other games saw contributions from players like Tyrese Proctor and Isaiah Evans in wins over Syracuse and Illinois, and the team leaned on depth when Cooper Flagg missed time.

Read the stories below.

Duke’s Cooper Flagg (2) heads to slam in two during Duke’s 86-78 victory over Notre Dame at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. By Ethan Hyman

NO. 1: ‘THE MAGIC OF COOPER FLAGG’: BEHIND THE DUKE FAB FRESHMAN’S 42 POINTS AGAINST NOTRE DAME

Playing his game in a more assertive way, Duke freshman Cooper Flagg scored the most points in a game at Cameron Indoor Stadium for the Blue Devils since 1976. | Published January 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Steve Wiseman

Duke center Khaman Maluach (9) and Sion James (14) defend North Carolina’s Ian Jackson (11) in the first half on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. By Robert Willett

NO. 2: PHOTOS: DUKE DEFEATS NORTH CAROLINA IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL ACTION

The Duke Blue Devils defeated rival North Carolina 87-70. | Published February 1, 2025 | Read Full Story by Ethan Hyman Robert Willett

Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg (2) tries to keep control of the ball as Syracuse Orange center Eddie Lampkin Jr. (44) defends during the first half of their game at JMA Wireless Dome on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. By Rich Barnes

NO. 3: SWEET 16! 3 TAKEAWAYS FROM DUKE BASKETBALL’S WIN AT SYRACUSE TO KEEP WIN STREAK ALIVE

The No. 2 Duke Blue Devils are on their longest winning streak in nearly two decades after collecting their 16th consecutive win, an 83-54 triumph at Syracuse. | Published February 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Steve Wiseman

Duke’s Cooper Flagg (2) slips and turns over the ball in the final minute of Clemson’s 77-71 victory over Duke at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C., Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. By Ethan Hyman

NO. 4: CLEMSON CLAMPS DOWN: 3 TAKEAWAYS FROM DUKE BASKETBALL’S FIRST ACC LOSS OF THE SEASON

Clemson gave No. 2 Duke all it could handle, physically and on the scoreboard, and the Tigers ended the Blue Devils’ quest for ACC perfection in a 77-71 home win. | Published February 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Steve Wiseman

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer congratulates Kon Knueppel (7) after he hit a three-pointer during the second half of Duke’s 110-67 victory over Illinois in the SentinelOne Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York City Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. By Ethan Hyman

NO. 5: IS DUKE WORTHY OF NCAA TOURNAMENT NO. 1 SEED? BLUE DEVILS REMOVED DOUBTS WITH EASY WIN

The ACC is down and few teams have offered Duke a challenge this season. But hammering Illinois, 110-67, at Madison Square Garden certainly helped the Blue Devils’ case. | Published February 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Steve Wiseman

Duke’s Mason Gillis (18) and the Blue Devils bench react after teammate Maliq Brown (6) sank a three point basket in the second half against North Carolina on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. By Robert Willett

NO. 6: THERE WAS ALWAYS MORE TO DUKE THAN COOPER FLAGG, BUT NOW THE BLUE DEVILS HAVE PROVEN IT

With their freshman star in foul trouble, it took everyone and everything else the Blue Devils had to hold off the Tar Heels, 82-69, and clinch the No. 1 seed in the ACC tournament. | Published March 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Luke DeCock

Duke’s Cooper Flagg grimaces in pain after rolling his ankle during the first half of Duke’s game against Georgia Tech in the quarterfinals of the 2025 ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, March 13, 2025. By Ethan Hyman

NO. 7: COSTLY WIN: DUKE BASKETBALL OUTLASTS GEORGIA TECH IN INJURY-MARRED ACC TOURNAMENT OPENER

After trailing by as many as 14 in the first half, top-seeded Duke outlasted Georgia Tech, but the Blue Devils lost two key players to serious injuries in the process. | Published March 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Luke DeCock

Duke’s Tyrese Proctor (5) celebrates the Blue Devils’ 73-62 victory over Louisville in the ACC Tournament Championship game on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. By Robert Willett

NO. 8: DUKE BASKETBALL EARNS NO. 1 NCAA TOURNAMENT SEED. WHERE AND WHEN WILL BLUE DEVILS PLAY?

The No. 1-ranked Duke Blue Devils, after winning the ACC championship, are the No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament East Region, which means starting its expected run to the Final Four close to home. | Published March 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Steve Wiseman

Duke’s Cooper Flagg (2) celebrates after slamming in two during the first half of Duke’s game against Mount St. Mary’s in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, March 21, 2025. By Ethan Hyman

NO. 9: SPREADING THE WEALTH: TOP-SEEDED DUKE USES WHOLE BENCH IN BIG WIN OVER MOUNT ST. MARY’S

No. 1 seed Blue Devils make short work of No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Raleigh. Duke will face former captain Jeremy Roach and No. 9 Baylor on Sunday. | Published March 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Steve Wiseman

Duke’s Cooper Flagg (2) reacts after slamming in two during the first half of Duke’s game against Mount St. Mary’s in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, March 21, 2025. By Ethan Hyman

NO. 10: WITH COOPER FLAGG ’100% AND ALL GOOD,’ NO. 1 DUKE BASKETBALL LOOKS TO KEEP ROLLING

Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg pushed aside any lingering concerns about his sprained ankle by scoring 14 points in 22 minutes as the Blue Devils hammered Mount St. Mary’s on Friday. | Published March 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Steve Wiseman

Duke coach Jon Scheyer celebrates with his team after their 85-65 victory over Alabama on Saturday, March 29, 2025 during the NCAA East Regional final at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. By Robert Willett

NO. 11: PHOTOS: DUKE DEFEATS ALABAMA 85-65 AND HEADS TO NCAA FINAL FOUR

See action photos from the Blue Devils and the Crimson Tide playing in the NCAA Men’s Elite 8 | Published March 30, 2025 | Read Full Story by Ethan Hyman Robert Willett

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.