Blue Devil Country

Duke basketball now 'considers this matter closed'

Jon Scheyer's first Duke basketball team is already set to hang one banner.
Matt Giles|
Duke basketball now 'considers this matter closed'
Duke basketball now 'considers this matter closed'

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Duke Blue Devils

There's a new king of the ACC. It's first-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer. With the No. 4 seed Blue Devils' 59-49 victory over No. 2 seed Virginia in Greensboro on Saturday night, Scheyer became the first person in history to win an ACC Tournament as a player (2009, 2010) and a head coach (2023).

And the 35-year-old hoops savant and charismatic leader joined Duke's Vic Bubas and UNC's Bill Guthridge as the only men to win the title in their first year at the helm.

Wearing the same No. 30 as Scheyer in his Duke basketball glory days, ACC Tournament MVP and ACC Rookie of the Year Kyle Filipowski, the first recruit to commit to Scheyer, anchored the win with a Christian Laettner-like box score against Virginia: 20 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals across 35 minutes on the floor.

That's 20 points more than Filipowski scored in the Blue Devils' 69-62 overtime loss at Virginia one month earlier — to the day.

Remember that game in Charlottesville? The refs stole an opportunity for the forward to win the contest from the foul line at the end of regulation that night, resulting in the ACC later admitting it was a mistake but irking Duke fans with a "the conference considers this matter closed" punchline.

In the eyes of Duke basketball's justifiably snarky official Twitter account, the matter wasn't closed until Filipowksi said so on Saturday night.

Revenge was sweet for Duke, adding to the program's record number of ACC Tournament titles (22). In this edition, the Blue Devils trailed for only 4:32 of the 120 minutes in their three outings in Greensboro. Their largest deficit? Two points.

Scheyer's young bunch (26-8) enters Selection Sunday on a nine-game win streak and could be as high as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for daily Duke basketball content.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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