Duke basketball clinches share of ACC regular-season title with record-breaking 18th win
Cooper Flagg and the Duke men's basketball team kept their red-hot form going against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Monday night, winning 93-60 for the Blue Devils' seventh straight victory and their fourth in a row by more than 30 points.
The Wake Forest win also broke an ACC record as Duke's 18th conference victory of the 2024-25 campaign, the most in a single season in league history, as head coach Jon Scheyer clinched a share of his first regular-season conference title.
Granted, the ACC expanded to a 20-game conference schedule just six seasons ago (and couldn't field a full slate in one of those years because of the COVID-19 pandemic), so the sample size at this volume is small. Still, since the league changed his schedule in 2019-20, no member of the conference finished better than 17-3 in league play until this year.
The Blue Devils haven't just beaten the rest of the ACC, they've bullied their conference counterparts. Duke has won 12 of its ACC games by at least 20 points and five by at least 30. Through the first 19 league games, Duke has a cumulative scoring margin of +421, a number that averages out to a 22.16-point slant in its favor.
Duke would win the conference title outright with a victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday, but midweek losses by the Clemson Tigers (at Boston College on Wednesday) and Louisville Cardinals (vs California on Wednesday) would get the job done early.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
a minute ago
- USA Today
MSU football's marquee non-conference opponent picked to finish near bottom of league
THE 2025 ACC PRESEASON POLL 🏈🚨Thoughts? 🤔 One of the Spartans' marquee non-conference opponents has been pegged by the media to finish near the bottom of their league. Michigan State will play host to Boston College of the ACC in a nationally televised night game on September 6. This is a critical early season game for the Spartans as a win could catapult them into a fast start to the season, while a loss could suggest another losing season is on the way. Good news for the Spartans, though, is that the ACC media isn't particularly high on the Eagles. In the recently released ACC preseason media poll, Boston College landed as the No. 13 team out of 17 league members. That isn't all to different from the Spartans' preseason landing spot of No. 13 out of 18 teams in the Big Ten media poll, but at least is telling that Boston College should be a very beatable opponent for the Spartans this fall. Michigan State let one slip away at Boston College last fall, and will get the return trip from the Eagles this year. That week two matchup is slated to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on NBC. Check out the complete preseason ACC media poll below: Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Rangers legend ‘never really had a chance to say goodbye' until Chris Drury phone call changed everything
Henrik Lundqvist never imagined his final NHL game would come in the bubble during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. And after 15 years in net for the New York Rangers, there was no true farewell for 'The King,' the greatest goaltender in franchise history. 'I never really had a chance to say goodbye, to get closure,' Lundqvist said this week on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast. So when Lundqvist officially announced his retirement on Aug. 20, 2021 while back home in Sweden, that feeling lingered. But just as he was finishing up a media session that day, his phone rang. 'I see it's (Rangers general manager) Chris Drury,' Lundqvist recalled. 'He says, 'Congrats,' and then, 'Your jersey is going up this year.'' Five months later, with his heart surgically repaired and his NHL career in the rearview mirror, Lundqvist stood on the Garden ice one last time as he and the Rangers Faithful each were given a proper goodbye. But the call from Drury only tells part of the story. Before any of that, Lundqvist was still planning to suit up again, hoping for a fresh start with the Washington Capitals until an uncomfortable update from his doctors changed everything. Related: Henrik Lundqvist's battle off the ice before retiring in 2021 Lundqvist had long known about a leaky valve in his heart, but it remained steady for years. It was something he and his doctors monitored, not something he thought would end his playing career. That changed during his first round of medical testing after he signed a one-year contract with the Capitals in October of 2020. 'The leak was getting worse. The pressure in my heart was going up. My aorta was growing too much,' he explained. 'There were a few things going on.' Still, Lundqvist was determined to continue playing after the Rangers bought out his contract following the 'bubble' postseason in the summer of 2020. In his mind, he was already on his way back. 'I really thought it would come down to my convincing my wife, like, 'no, no, I'm going to do this,'' he said. 'Yeah, the risk is a little higher now, but I was ready to go.' A month later, back home and getting ready for training camp for the delayed 2020-21 season, Lundqvist packed his bags, only to get a call that changed everything, 'All the tests, everything is actually worse than we thought,' doctors told him. 'My pressure used to be 19 or 20. I was at 60,' Lundqvist said. 'At 70, your heart stops. My aorta was too big. They needed to replace it. And the valve, it was just hanging on.' The fight was over before it ever began. 'So yeah, it became an easy decision. I had to do it,' he said. 'If it had been a gray area, I probably would've pushed through. But when you hear that? You know there's no going back.' Related: Post-surgery rehab The surgery at Cleveland Clinic in January of 2021 was a success, but the following weeks were anything but easy. At first, even the basics were challenging. 'The first couple weeks after the open-heart [surgery], I was hardly walking,' Lundqvist said. 'Every week just got better and better.' Still, Lundqvist thought the comeback was on. 'In my head, I was coming back,' he said. Seven weeks out, he returned to the ice. It was just a few light skating drills to get a feel for the pace. 'I was in a good pace to start skating — not bad,' he said. 'I was just on the ice to feel, to get the timing. No high shots, obviously … just on-ice shots for the first couple weeks, then to put pressure on the chest.' Physically and mentally, Lundqvist felt strong. He was progressing on schedule, and even ahead of it in some ways. 'You have to wait for your chest to heal in terms of pressure,' he said. 'You can't exercise hard after three weeks. You've got to do it week by week, and kind of listen to your body.' But as weeks went on, reality set in, even after Lundqvist confirmed he wouldn't be able to play in 2020-21. 'Honesty, physically, mentally, I felt so good,' Lundqvist said. 'But I knew I can't .. I can't fight this thing.' After everything he'd been through, and everything he still wanted to accomplish, the decision became clear. 'It was time to hang it up.' A proper goodbye By the time Lundqvist officially retired, he had already come to peace with the reality the he'd never play again. Emotionally though, something felt unfinished. The Rangers reached out shortly after his announcement in Sweden to let him know his No. 30 would be retired in a ceremony at Madison Square Garden. 'My last game was in the bubble. No fans. I never really had a chance to say goodbye,' Lundqvist said. And when January 28, 2022 arrived, it was as unforgettable Garden moment. Fans (who normally show up right before puck drop) poured into the Garden hours early. The concourses overflowed, and some paid more for their ticket than they ever had just to be in the building. It was a once in a generation kind of night — not just for Lundqvist, but for everyone who had ever watched the future Hall of Famer play. By the time he stepped onto the ice, the roar inside MSG was deafening. Chants of 'Henrik! Henrik! Henrik!' shook the building. Between the video tributes and standing ovations, the emotion all built towards the moment when No. 30 was raised to the rafters. It was a thank you, a celebration and a proper goodbye to the Garden faithful. 'It was an incredible moment for so many reason. I'll never forget it.' Related Headlines Rangers top draft pick Malcolm Spence earns praise at World Junior Summer Showcase Rangers' most memorable regular-season games from 2000-25, including Mika Zibanejad's 5-goal night Understanding no-trade/no-movement protection for Rangers veterans, including Mika Zibanejad Rangers not alone facing crucial decisions with key prospects, young NHL players
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Trey Lance career timeline: How 49ers draft pick landed with Chargers
Trey Lance entered his NFL career to a lot of fanfare. The North Dakota State product was a member of the touted 2021 draft class, which was believed to be loaded at quarterback. In total, five quarterbacks were selected in the first round of that year's draft. Lance was the third of the group, and landed in what many believed to be a favorable situation with the San Francisco 49ers. However, Lance's early career didn't go as he had hoped. He is now looking to carve out a role for himself on his third different team as he enters his fifth NFL season, a fate four of his fellow first-round quarterbacks are also resigned to in 2025. Here's what to know about Lance's career to date and how he landed with the Los Angeles Chargers. Trey Lance career timeline 49ers select Trey Lance No. 3 overall in 2021 NFL Draft San Francisco traded four draft picks to the Miami Dolphins to move up from No. 12 overall to No. 3 ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft, a signal the 49ers were going to select a quarterback. It was just a matter of which prospect they would select. Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson came off the board with the top two picks, which left the 49ers a choice of Lance, Justin Fields or Mac Jones with the third selection. Ultimately, the team decided to bank on the uber-athletic Lance's dual-threat upside. Lance had started just one full season for North Dakota State, as his final college season was postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, Lance led the Bison to a perfect 16-0 record and an FCS title. He completed 66.9% of his passes for 2,786 yards and 28 touchdowns with no interceptions while adding 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. Lance was just 21 years old when he was drafted, and his raw tools excited NFL talent evaluators. Many believed he would need time to develop behind the scenes at the NFL level, but they were also curious to see what he would be able to achieve in Kyle Shanahan's quarterback-friendly system. Trey Lance named 49ers starter for 2022, injured in Week 2 Lance played sparingly as a rookie. He went 1-1 in two starts backing up Jimmy Garoppolo, completing 57.7% of his passes for 603 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions while adding 168 yards and a touchdown on 38 carries. Lance flashed enough that San Francisco made him its starter entering the 2022 NFL season. However, he played just 84 total snaps on the year, as he broke his ankle in the first quarter of the team's Week 2 game against the Seattle Seahawks. Lance missed the remainder of the season because of his ankle injury. Garoppolo first took over for him before rookie Brock Purdy emerged as San Francisco's top signal-caller. The seventh-round rookie led the 49ers to an NFC championship game appearance and established himself as the team's quarterback of the future. NFL POWER RANKINGS: As preseason nears, who are Eagles' main threats? Trey Lance traded to Cowboys ahead of 2023 NFL season Because Purdy suffered a throwing-elbow injury in the NFC championship game, it was believed Lance might have a chance to battle him for the starting job in 2023. Instead, the North Dakota State product found himself behind both Purdy and free-agent acquisition Sam Darnold on San Francisco's depth chart ahead of the season. Lance performed well in the preseason, completing 22 of 33 passes for 285 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in two outings. Eventually, the 49ers traded him to the Cowboys for a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which would later become safety Malik Mustapha. Lance dressed for just four games across his two seasons with the Cowboys and made one start. He completed 20 of 34 passes for 244 yards and ran for 26 yards in Dallas' Week 18 loss to the Washington Commanders at the end of the 2024 NFL season. The Cowboys elected not to exercise Lance's fifth-year option before the final year of his rookie contract and opted not to re-sign him during the 2025 offseason. Instead, they traded for second-year quarterback Joe Milton to battle Will Grier for the backup quarterback job behind Dak Prescott. Trey Lance signs one-year, $2 million deal with Chargers Lance lingered on the free-agent market until April, when the Chargers signed him to a one-year deal to battle Taylor Heinicke for the backup job behind Justin Herbert. Lance's deal with the Chargers is worth a base value of $2 million that could escalate to $6.2 million if certain incentives are met. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh is looking forward to seeing what Lance can do on the field during the 2025 NFL preseason. "He's had a heck of a camp," Harbaugh said of Lance, per "I just want to get Trey Lance game experience," Harbaugh later added. "With his career and then in college, he doesn't have as much as most guys."
