The No. 1 seed in the East Region Duke Blue Devils(31-3) are preparing to face No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers(23-12) in the 1st Round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. This game will take place in Raleigh, North Carolina Friday afternoon.
Duke is one of the best programs in college basketball history. They were upset in the Elite Eight by No. 11 seed NC State last year. They have not lost in the 1st Round of the NCAA Tournament since 2007. They do not want to add 2025 to that list of early exits. Mount St. Mary’s advanced to the main draw following a win Wednesday night against American University in the First Four. They made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021. Will the Mountaineers be able to put a scare into the hugely favored Duke Blue Devils?
Duke Season Summary
The Blue Devils dominated the ACC during the regular season and capped it off by winning the Conference Tournament. It was not all smooth sailing for the team as Consensus First-Team All-American Cooper Flagg injured his ankle in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. Head Coach Jon Scheyer is confident Flagg will play tomorrow.
Duke’s offense is tremendous. They are 15th in points scored, 17th in field goal percentage, and 23rd in three-point percentage. The team’s defense has been even better. They are seventh in points allowed, seventh in opposing field goal percentage, and 36th in opposing three-point percentage. Flagg is Duke’s best player and a favorite to win the John R. Wooden Award for the best player in the sport.
Mount St. Mary’s Summary
The Mountaineers had a great performance against American University. They won by 11 points to set up a date with the Blue Devils. Mount St. Mary’s had a tremendous offensive performance. They shot 57.7% from the field and 40.9% from three-point range. Mount St. Mary’s scored 83 points in one of their best offensive performances of the season.
The team’s offense was paced by Forward Jedy Cordilia. He shot 10-of-11 from the field for 22 points. After a difficult end to the season, he found his footing at precisely the right time. Forward Dola Adebayo added 22 points as well in the First Four win.
Final Thoughts
Mount St. Mary’s played well in the First Four, but the Duke Blue Devils are one of the nation’s best teams. They have a great offense and a great defense. It is difficult to see a path to victory for the Mountaineers. They need their offense to play like it did on Wednesday, and hope the Blue Devils do not play up to their potential. Duke has championship aspirations, and will not be tripped up by the Mountaineers.
