Stephen Wiseman
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stevewisemannc.bsky.social
Stephen Wiseman
@stevewisemannc.bsky.social
McClatchy sportswriter/Assistant sports editor at http://newsobserver.com. Duke beat writer. Bleav Network co-host. Illinois State U grad. Proud former blue check at that other place.
Auburn's Bruce Pearl joins top coaches from Division II and Division III on court at halftime to be honored for winning coac of the year award. That's not awkward at all. Nope. Not a bit.
April 6, 2025 at 2:22 AM
HALF: Duke 34, Houston 28. Cougars hit 3 3-pointers in the final 1:43 to cut into what had been a 12-point Blue Devils lead. Houston had been ice cold but finished half 9-29 to, uh, improve to 31%.
April 6, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Houston used a 6-0 run to climb within three points but Duke has pushed the lead back to 28-17 with 2:36 left in the first half. Blue Devils have received KEY minutes from Caleb Foster, who has four rebounds, an assist and no turnovers in 10 minutes The fact that he's scoreless is irrelevent.
April 6, 2025 at 2:11 AM
Maliq Brown is like a hockey player..always getting the greasy areas to make plays
April 6, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Duke up 16-9 during a timeout with 10:47 left in the first half. Houston struggling on offense (3 of 16, with three turnovers). Blue Devils getting strong play off bench from Caleb Foster, who already has three rebounds. This has given Flagg a break on the bench. Same with Maluach and James
April 6, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Duke's last basket, off a pass from the free throw line from Pat Ngongba to a back-door cutting Kon Knueppel, will be something to watch for next season. KK won't be on team, of course, but Ngongba should be getting plenty of run. He's skilled.
April 6, 2025 at 1:46 AM
Back-and-forth action caused Duke and Houston to blow through the under-16 timeout and take their first break at 11:51. So we'll be having two breaks in short order, almost like a quarter break if college basketball had those. Anyway...Houston has started 3 of 15 from the field and Duke leads 14-8
April 6, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Reposted by Stephen Wiseman
Duke needs its defensive wild card to be at its best, but the risk of Maliq Brown reinjuring his shoulder again is never far away. Neither is the end of Duke’s season, one way or another.

“That’s been a balancing act for me, to be honest,” Jon Scheyer said.

www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Maliq Brown was hoping not to play. Duke needed him, and may again against Alabama
In his return from a second dislocated shoulder, Maliq Brown gave Duke four key minutes when its big men were in foul trouble against Arizona. Against Alabama’s high-powered offense, Duke may need mor...
www.newsobserver.com
March 28, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Reposted by Stephen Wiseman
Caleb Love def. Duke, 2022/Duke def. Caleb Love, 2025

A game of inches

@tinsnow12.bsky.social photos
March 28, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Is Gary Williams involved?? #sabotage
NC State had a basketball coaching search and it wasn’t the embarrassing one this time. 2025 is truly wild.
Latest on Kevin Willard, per sources: No decision is in. Villanova is hoping (dare I say, expecting?) for a yes at this stage. No timetable on when we have finality. Obviously complicated by the fact that Maryland needs to fly cross-country today to get back home.
March 28, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Reposted by Stephen Wiseman
In a foul-ridden game, No. 1 Duke survived a Caleb Love-inspired Arizona rally in the second half to oust the No. 4 Wildcats and advance to The NCAA Tournament’s Elite 8.

www.newsobserver.com/sports/colle...
Feeling Elite: Top seed Duke holds off furious comeback from No. 4 Arizona in Sweet 16
In a foul-ridden game, No. 1 Duke survived a Caleb Love-inspired Arizona rally in the second half to oust the No. 4 Wildcats and advance to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite 8.
www.newsobserver.com
March 28, 2025 at 5:13 AM
Maliq Brown checking in at 7:51 of first half after Pat Ngongba picked up his 3rd foul. Maluach already on bench with 2 fouls. Duke up 24-21
March 28, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Reposted by Stephen Wiseman
For the record, Caleb Love has "Philippians 4:13" and "TV" written on his shoes tonight, not "Tar Heel 4L"
March 28, 2025 at 2:16 AM
Tyrese Proctor has scored Duke's last seven points. Duke up 17-16. Bench players in: Evans, Ngongba, Foster. No Gillis or Brown as of yet.
March 28, 2025 at 2:22 AM
As expected first player off Duke's bench to enter is...Pat Ngongba. Caution surrounds Maliq Brown, although he's in uniform and available.
Arizona leads 13-10 at first timeout, having made 5 of first 7 shots (3-3 on 3s)
March 28, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Reposted by Stephen Wiseman
Alabama has as many made 3's in Newark tonight as Seton Hall had in their last five home games combined in that building.
March 28, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Jon Scheyer talked to his newly constructed Duke basketball team about Kaizen, the Japanese philosophy of steady, incremental improvement last summer. That foundation took root and the players continue to follow it as they chase more championships.

www.newsobserver.com/sports/colle...
‘Kaizen!’: Why a Japanese philosophy has been so important to Duke’s success this season
The Duke Blue Devils have embraced a Japanese philosophy of continual, incremental improvement to put together a memorable season that has them in position to chase an NCAA championship.
www.newsobserver.com
March 23, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Cheers erupt from Duke fans when UNC game is shown on videoboard at halftime. Ole Miss up 11-2 over the Tar Heels. Conference pride takes a back seat in this neighborhood
March 21, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Halftime: Duke 54, Mount St. Mary's 28.
Duke shooting 60.6%....with one turnover. Tyrese Proctor leads Blue Devils with 13 points. Flagg has nine with two rebounds and two assists in 13 minutes. Even did the halftime interview with CBS already. He's fine. Everything's fine, for Duke.
March 21, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Reposted by Stephen Wiseman
“I love Spencer, man, and our guys, the way they respond to him." Great story by @shelbyswanson.bsky.social and photos by @tinsnow12.bsky.social on the beloved shortest member of the very tall Duke basketball team. www.newsobserver.com/sports/colle...
Why the shortest player on college basketball’s tallest team is ‘a blessing’ for Duke
The Duke Blue Devils see Spencer Hubbard as far more than a feel-good story, a viral moment, or simply an undersized walk-on.
www.newsobserver.com
March 21, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Also, just to log this in, Maliq Brown is not in uniform again today. On bench but not using sling. Shoulder healing again. Wants to play again this year. But....
March 21, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Duke up 28-12 with 9:50 left in first half. Blue Devils have already used nine players. Players with most minutes thus far? Flagg, James, Knueppel and Ngongba (!!) with 7. Spreading out the time
March 21, 2025 at 7:34 PM
With Duke up 13-2, Scheyer removed Flagg prior to the under-16 timeout. He's moving well. Caution
March 21, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Hello from Lenovo Center, where Duke will play Mount St. Mary's in about 10 minutes. Cooper Flagg in starting lineup for Blue Devils
March 21, 2025 at 6:58 PM