Duke basketball standout Tyrese Proctor departed from the game against Baylor in an “unconscious” state, ultimately aiding the Blue Devils in securing their Sweet 16 spot in March Madness.
With less than 4:50 remaining in the second half, Proctor executed a dazzling crossover move, culminating in a crucial three-pointer that effectively ended Baylor’s season.
Entering the Raleigh regional, Proctor was not as widely recognized as his fellow freshman teammate Cooper Flagg. Flagg surprisingly took a hard shot to the eye during the match. Nevertheless, Proctor still entered the arena as a discernible scoring threat that Baylor had to keep an eye on.
He delivered a devastating performance against the Bears, scoring 25 points with an impressive 9-of-10 shooting from the floor, which included seven three-pointers, notably the pivotal shot that all but sealed a Duke victory.
Proctor and the top-seeded Blue Devils surged to a commanding 89-66 victory over the ninth-seeded Bears, quickly becoming the center of attention on Duke’s social media platforms thereafter.
Tyrese Proctor gains online acclaim following dominant Duke victory
Proctor was showered with praise on X for his role in keeping Duke’s national championship hopes alive, with a particularly notable comment from the official Duke basketball account on the platform.
Proctor also etched his name into Duke history, joining Blue Devils icon Jason “Jay” Williams by making the most three-pointers (19) over a three-game stretch—a record originally set by Williams back in 2001, according to CBS Sports.
Moreover, Proctor’s achievement placed him on the same level as another Duke great, as he tied head coach Jon Scheyer’s record for the same three-point mark, as highlighted by the ACC Network.
Proctor expressed to reporters his excitement about sharing this milestone with his head coach, though he humbly tried to downplay the accolades directed toward him.
“It feels great,” Proctor shared. “But I’m just proud of our group and the way we came out.”
Despite facing some challenges earlier in the month—specifically a troubling knee injury on March 1—Proctor showcased his sharpshooting skills during this critical phase of the season for all College Basketball teams, including the Blue Devils.
Image Source: March Madness @ YouTube
