Sportswrap is your one-stop shop for everything Duke athletics, where we’ll recap how each of Duke’s sports currently in competition performed over the last week and give a brief look ahead. Here’s our recap for the week of Dec. 4-10:
Football
The first page of the next era of Blue Devil football was flipped this week, when the program announced the hiring of Manny Diaz as its 23rd head coach Thursday night. Diaz, who spent the last two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Penn State, brings with him an impressive defensive record — the Nittany Lions finished first in the country this season in total defense — and ACC head coaching experience at Miami. He succeeds former head coach Mike Elko and now looks to what promises to be an eventful offseason. His first task will be keeping as much of the 2023 group together, as more coaches and players hit the portal or opposing staffs in the wake of Elko’s departure. -Andrew Long
Men’s basketball
No. 22 Duke got back on track with an 80-56 victory against Charlotte Saturday afternoon after dropping two straight games the week prior. Even without starting point guard Tyrese Proctor, the rest of the backcourt stepped up. Freshman guard Jared McCain led all scorers with 21 points and three 3-pointers, and fellow freshman Caleb Foster — inserted into the starting lineup in Proctor’s place — contributed with seven points and three assists. The Blue Devils (6-3, 0-1 in the ACC) focused on improving their defense, and elite defender Jaylen Blakes contributed on both ends of the floor. The junior guard was perfect from the field and scored a season-high 15 points. Duke stays at home to take on Hofstra Tuesday and will then travel to New York to take on Baylor Dec. 20. -Ranjan Jindal
Women’s basketball
Duke had an up-and-down week, starting off with a disappointing, 16-point road loss to Clemson Thursday night. Sophomore guard Taina Mair led the way with 19 points on 50% shooting from the floor, but the Blue Devils (6-4, 0-1) couldn’t match the Tigers and trailed for a majority of the contest. Duke then responded well Sunday with an 82-63 win against Florida Gulf Coast back home at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Freshman guard Oluchi Okananwa had an outstanding performance, scoring 18 points and grabbing five rebounds to go along with five swipes. The Blue Devils have some time off for finals before they resume action against Toledo Dec. 20. -Luke Jovanovic
Wrestling
Duke secured a big win Friday at Davidson, defeating the Wildcats by a score of 19-17. The Blue Devils (3-4) responded well after their disappointing showing at the Keystone Classic several weeks ago, winning several key duels while still remaining competitive in their few defeats. Senior Connor Barket (285 lbs) and freshman Raymond Adams (133 lbs) both scored major victories. Adams’ win was particularly notable, as it was the Merrick, N.Y., native’s first of his collegiate career. Senior Logan Agin (125 lbs) also played a huge part in Duke’s victory, winning by technical fall to virtually secure the team’s win. Next up, the Blue Devils will travel to Charlotte to take on The Citadel and Queens Dec. 19. -Rodrigo
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