Before Sunday night's 76 - 65 road win over the Louisville Cardinals at the KFC Yum! Center, a place that has witnessed many Blue Devil comebacks. Recall Zion Williamson & Co.'s sudden bounceback from being down 23 late in the 2019 classic showdown. The Blue Devils had not overcome a deficit of 14 points or more in victory since climbing back from 16 points to beat Boston College in January 2021.

Jon Scheyer's Coaching Tenure and the Big Comeback

By recovering from a 30 - 16 Louisville lead with 8:36 left in the first half and rallying to a 60 - 35 lead the rest of the way, the No. 9 - ranked Blue Devils (7 - 2, 1 - 0 ACC) achieved the biggest comeback win during Jon Scheyer's tenure as head coach. This victory stands out as it marks the largest deficit overcome for a Duke win since January 6, 2021 against Boston College (16 points).

Defensive Dominance and Offensive Balance

Duke freshman guard/forward Cooper Flagg and junior forward Maliq Brown led a tenacious Blue Devil defensive assault. The Cardinals, who shot 3 - for - 15 from three in the second half after making half of their 16 attempts before the break, were eventually worn down. Meanwhile, Scheyer's team made up for its 8 - for - 30 shooting from beyond the arc in both halves by outscoring Louisville in the paint, 34 - 14, and in transition, 12 - 3. Flagg scored a team - high 20 points and 12 rebounds, adding one assist, two steals, and one block before fouling out with under a minute to play and securing the Duke basketball victory. Brown, although scoring only six points in his 29 minutes off the bench, shot 3 - for - 3 from the field. Each of his makes was of the momentum - building variety in the second half as the Blue Devils went on a 24 - 6 run in just over six minutes to take a 68 - 57 lead at the 5:42 mark. He also contributed 11 rebounds, one assist, one block, and a game - high three steals.

Looking Ahead to the Next Game

After this thrilling victory, the Blue Devils now head back to Durham for a home matchup against the Incarnate Word Cardinals (5 - 4, 1 - 1 Southland) at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday (ACC Network). Fans can stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball news as the team continues its journey.