Duke Men’s basketball coach John Scheyer has praised his players’ performance in their game against the Illinois Fighting Illini on Feb. 23, 2025.
The Blue Devils were at their absolute best as they blitzed through the Fighting Illini with a 110-67 win in their matchup, which took place at Madison Square Garden.
The win was Duke’s fourth successive performance, and Scheyer expressed his delight at how his players executed the game plan.
Jon Scheyer Applauds Duke’s Defensive Work
While the result of the game might have suggested that it was the offense that got the job done, Scheyer was more focused on what they did defensively.
The Blue Devils forced six turnovers and also gave up just 37 points in the first half. Speaking in a postgame interview with Jonh Fanta on X, Scheyer was happy with the resilience they showed on the opposite end of the court.
NEW: Jon Scheyer joins me postgame to break down Duke’s 110-67 win over Illinois. On the defensive intensity of this team, what the first half told him about the Blue Devils, the MSG atmosphere and more. Our conversation: pic.twitter.com/Cnoi5jXYdE
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) February 23, 2025
“For me, it’s just the way they played together — 28 assists, six turnovers, that was important. But the thing that I love the most is our defense,” Scheyer said.
“I just thought we were relentless, wasn’t perfect by any means, but I loved how we flied around and just our intensity in that end.”
Scheyer also revealed that the beauty of his team is that everyone knows when to step up, even though Cooper Flagg is the star of the team.
Although Flagg ended up with 16 points in the game, he had just one field goal in the first half. Scheyer believes that the performance of other players in the first half shows that his team is special.
“I think that’s a power of this team. Look, Cooper is obviously special, I mean, with what he does for our team but also other guys have stepped up many times throughout this season. You know that’s a case in the first half,” Scheyer added.
Duke Remains Second in National Rankings
Despite the blowout win against Illinois, the Blue Devils remain second in the Men’s College Basketball rankings this season.
KEEP READING: Will Cooper Flagg Stay at Duke for Another Year?
The win maintained their lead at the top of the Atlantic Coast division, but they remain second in the overall ranking behind the Auburn Tigers.
Next up for Scheyer’s squad is a clash against the Miami Hurricanes on Feb. 26, 2025.
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