Tag: Virginia Tech Hokies

Why does George Mason’s Darius Maddox sound familiar to Duke basketball fans?

Duke basketball fans with good memories (and long grudges) might recognize George Mason’s leading scorer, a former ACC transfer.

Darius Maddox didn’t join the George Mason program until the 2023-24 season, and the Blue Devils haven’t faced the Patriots since 2006. So why does the name sound familiar?

Maddox spent three seasons with the Virginia Tech Hokies before his time in Fairfax, and his old program actually beat Duke three times in four games during his time there.

The 6-foot-5 guard admittedly didn’t play a major role in most of those games, but his best performance came in the most impactful Virginia Tech victory. Maddox came off the bench for six points and five rebounds in the Hokies’ 82-67 upset of the Blue Devils in the 2022 ACC Tournament final.

The win punched Virginia Tech’s ticket to the NCAA Tournament, but more importantly, it denied legendary Duke coach [autotag]Mike Krzyzewski[/autotag] a walk-off conference title in his final season. It served as the middle act in a trio of storybook-ending losses that season, sandwiched between losses to the North Carolina Tar Heels in Coach K’s final home game and in the Final Four.

Maddox averaged 14.0 points in his first season with the Patriots last year, and he’s put together 14.9 points to lead the team so far in 2024-25. He’s dropped a season-high 20 in three different games, including a road loss to Marquette on November 8.

Toby Fournier leads Duke women’s basketball to dominant victory in ACC opener

The Duke women’s basketball team cruised against Virginia Tech on Sunday thanks to a 27-point outing from star freshman Toby Fournier.

The Duke women’s basketball team started another win streak on Sunday with an 81-59 victory over Virginia Tech powered by 27 points from five-star freshman [autotag]Toby Fournier[/autotag].

The Blue Devils ripped off six consecutive wins early in the year, but a Thursday road loss to defending national champion South Carolina dropped Duke down to 8-2 for the season. Head coach [autotag]Kara Lawson[/autotag] and her team made sure to remind everyone that the midweek game said more about the Gamecocks than anything else.

Fournier remained on the bench to start Sunday’s game, the same way she has in every contest, but she lit up the scoreboard once she finally got onto the court. The Canadian forward made three buckets within 90 seconds in the opening frame, a 6-0 run that pushed the Blue Devils ahead by three.

Sophomore Jordan Wood and senior star Reigan Richardson took turns knocking down 3-pointers on the next two possessions, capping off a 12-2 Duke run and building a 15-8 lead after the opening quarter.

Oluchi Okananwa, the reigning ACC Sixth Person of the Year, made her mark off the bench in the second. The sophomore connected on two jumpers in the first minute, pushing the lead into double-digits, and an and-one later with 3:43 left before the break made it 28-12.

Virginia Tech only put 22 points on the board in the first 20 minutes, and the Hokies went one-for-seven (14.3%) from behind the arc for the entire game.

“It was nice to see the Duke defense back in that first half,” Lawson said after the game. “That is the takeaway from this game that I’m most proud of.”

The Blue Devils tallied 36 rebounds to Virginia Tech’s 27, and the Duke defense Lawson referred to stacked 10 steals and seven blocks before the final buzzer.

Okananwa ended the game with 12 points and 12 rebounds in just 23 minutes, her first double-double of the season. Fournier took over the final seven minutes of the game, notching 11 of Duke’s final 17 points to finish with 27.

Fournier also stacked 25 points against the Belmont Bruins on November 21, and she’s scored at least 10 points in seven of Duke’s 11 games. She’s averaged 12.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game in her debut season.

The Blue Devils get a full 10 days off before their next game, a home fight against Wofford on December 18.

Duke women’s soccer clinches fifth NCAA College Cup appearance in program history

The Duke Blue Devils advanced to the NCAA College Cup for the fifth time ever on Saturday night thanks to a 1-0 win over Virginia Tech.

The winning goal in Saturday night’s game literally hit fifth-year Duke defender Katie Groff in the chest.

The Virginia Tech Hokies managed to deflect a corner kick in the 33rd minute, but Cameron Roller sent the ball flying back toward the net with a solid kick. Thanks to a redirection from a Hokie in the way, it ended up bouncing off Groff and landing directly at her feet for a game-changing opening.

Groff reacted immediately, spinning on her heel and pelting the ball toward the net behind her. Virginia Tech keeper Lauren Hargrove dove toward her in a blind effort to stop the go-ahead goal, but Groff’s effort found a gap to reach its destination.

The surreal story of Duke women’s soccer coach Robbie Church’s final season continued on Saturday night when the Blue Devils took down the Virginia Tech Hokies 1-0 in the national quarterfinals to reach the NCAA College Cup.

The Blue Devils again commanded possession against their conference foe, getting off 13 shots while only surrendering four openings to the Hokies, but Groff was the only player on either roster to convert.

Duke goalkeeper Leah Freeman, the ACC Goalkeeper of the Year, continued her absolutely dominant postseason form. The Blue Devils have shut out all four of their NCAA Tournament foes thanks to her five saves, including three against Virginia Tech.

As luck would have it, the Blue Devils will face the North Carolina Tar Heels in the national semifinals on December 6. Duke swept UNC in the regular season, including its first-ever win over the Tar Heels in Durham, but the Blue Devils’ bitter rivals beat them in the ACC Tournament for one of Duke’s two losses this year.

Manny Diaz calls the Virginia Tech victory his team’s ‘worst performance to date’

Despite the Blue Devils defeating Virginia Tech on Saturday, head coach Manny Diaz sounded quite critical of the tape this week.

The Duke Blue Devils picked up their eighth win of the season on Saturday, handing the Virginia Tech Hokies a 31-28 loss in front of the Wallace Wade Stadium crowd, but head coach [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] still saw areas for improvement on film.

In fact, during Diaz’s Monday press conference, he ranked it below all three of Duke’s losses.

“Of the 11 games we have played so far this year, it was, in my mind, our worst performance to date,” Diaz said. “We did so many things that in a normal game or normal circumstance would get you beat.”

Duke ended up with 396 yards of offense, mostly thanks to a pair of lightning-strike touchdowns from fifth-year wideout Eli Pancol on the first four plays from scrimmage. Quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] found Pancol for 86-yard and 77-yard scoring plays on the first two drives, but the Blue Devils also turned the ball over four times and converted just two of their 11 third downs.

Murphy’s ball security looked pretty stunning compared to his recent form. The first-year starter tossed the ball to the defense three times before halftime, his second three-interception game this month. However, in his other five battles against ACC opponents, Murphy’s only thrown one pick.

“We’re an aggressive offense anyways and we’ve been aggressive the last six weeks,” offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer said. “I think we’ve done a pretty good job at not putting the ball in jeopardy at times or trying to force things. We made a few mistakes and tried to push the ball into some territories it shouldn’t have been pushed to.”

Those three interceptions created 10 points for the Hokies, letting Virginia Tech take the lead late in the second quarter. While the record will only show a victory on the books, the head coach fell back on a familiar phrase to describe his thoughts.

“We talk all the time about success versus excellence,” Diaz said. “We were successful, but we were not excellent. We were way below our standard.”

Manny Diaz says Duke will discipline quarterback Maalik Murphy for middle-finger celebration

Duke football coach Manny Diaz said on Monday that the Blue Devils would discipline quarterback Maalik Murphy for his touchdown celebration.

Duke quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] will face internal discipline for his touchdown celebration against the Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday.

Murphy hit fifth-year wideout Eli Pancol in stride for an 86-yard touchdown on the Blue Devils’ first play from scrimmage, and the ACC Network broadcast captured him extending both middle fingers into the air in the aftermath. During Manny Diaz’s Monday press conference, the Duke coach explained the context behind the behavior.

“There was a practice in the middle of last week when we were throwing post after post after post, and we weren’t completing them,” Diaz said. “And it was again and again and again and again. And at the end of that, there was a remark made in jest that, ‘If you throw a post for a touchdown in the game, then you can flick me off.'”

While there was an explanation for the outburst, Diaz didn’t sound particularly interested in excusing it.

“It’s something that is unacceptable in our program,” Diaz said. “It doesn’t represent who we are as Duke football. It certainly doesn’t represent who we are as Duke University. That will be handled and disciplined internally.”

Diaz did not elaborate on what that punishment would entail or whether it would affect Murphy’s availability against Wake Forest on Saturday.

Duke’s Eli Pancol named ACC Receiver of the Week after monster game against Virginia Tech

Duke wideout Eli Pancol earned ACC Receiver of the Week honors after his three-touchdown performance against Virginia Tech.

Duke wideout Eli Pancol earned ACC Receiver of the Week honors on Monday after his three-touchdown game against Virginia Tech in Week 13.

The fifth-year receiver caught an 86-yard touchdown on the Blue Devils’ first offensive play of the game, and he followed that up with a 77-yard catch-and-run on the fourth offensive play to build a 14-0 lead.

Pancol caught his third touchdown with 5:41 left in the opening half, and he finished Saturday’s game with 188 yards on five receptions. Only 12 Blue Devils have ever accumulated more receiving yards in a single game.

Week 13 was Pancol’s second 100-yard game of the season. He finished with 138 yards and a score against SMU in Week 9, and his nine receiving touchdowns this season are tied for the third-most among ACC wideouts.

Entering the 2024 campaign, his previous single-game best was 106 yards against Northwestern in 2022. He now leads the roster in receptions (51) and receiving yards (721)

Duke football closes in on the top 25 of the US LBM Coaches Poll after Week 13 win

Duke picked up a second straight win on Saturday, and the Blue Devils moved closer to the top 25 in the US LBM Coaches Poll as a result.

Each successive win moves the Duke Blue Devils closer to the top 25.

After Saturday’s 31-28 triumph over the Virginia Tech Hokies, their final game at Wallace Wade Stadium this season, the Blue Devils received 31 votes in the US LBM Coaches Poll. As a result, Duke finished third among teams receiving votes, putting the team in the unofficial 28th spot in the rankings.

Wide receiver Eli Pancol closed his career in style with two touchdowns longer than 75 yards on the Blue Devils’ first two possessions. The fifth-year wideout ended Saturday’s game with 188 yards and three touchdowns on five catches.

After a brief spell of pessimism about the ACC as a whole, the conference has two teams within the top 10 once again. The Miami Hurricanes moved up three spots to seventh after a trio of fourth-quarter touchdowns helped them blow out Wake Forest, and the SMU Mustangs moved up to ninth after clinching their spot in the ACC title game.

Check out the complete US LBM Coaches Poll below:

Rank Team Record Points
1 Oregon Ducks 11-0 1,375 (55)
2 Ohio State Buckeyes 10-1 1,318
3 Texas Longhorns 10-1 1,267
4 Penn State Nittany Lions 10-1 1,175
5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 10-1 1,150
6 Georgia Bulldogs 9-2 1,103
7 Miami Hurricanes 10-1 1,023
8 Tennessee Volunteers 9-2 972
9 SMU Mustangs 10-1 917
10 Indiana Hoosiers 10-1 867
11 Boise State Broncos 10-1 838
12 Clemson Tigers 9-2 780
13 Alabama Crimson Tide 8-3 621
14 South Carolina Gamecocks 8-3 596
15 Arizona State Sun Devils 9-2 592
16 Ole Miss Rebels 8-3 569
17 Iowa State Cyclones 9-2 473
18 Tulane Green Wave 9-2 434
19 Texas A&M Aggies 8-3 357
20 BYU Cougars 9-2 329
21 UNLV Rebels 9-2 205
22 Army Black Knights 9-1 165
23 Memphis Tigers 9-2 151
24 Missouri Tigers 8-3 148
25 Illinois Fighting Illini 8-3 132

Dropped Out

No. 18 Colorado; No. 25 Kansas State

Receiving Votes

Kansas State 124; Colorado 115; Duke 31; Syracuse 19; Louisville 8; Louisiana 7; Washington State 6; LSU 3; Miami (OH) 1; James Madison 1; Iowa 1; Georgia Tech 1; Baylor 1

Where are the Duke Blue Devils in the ESPN FPI rankings after Week 13?

After Duke’s eighth win of the 2024 college football season, where do the Blue Devils rank on the ESPN Football Power Index?

The Blue Devils continued their ascent up the college football world on Saturday night, scoring two touchdowns on their first four offensive plays en route to a 31-28 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies.

However, despite Duke’s 8-3 record, head coach [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] and his team remain well down the rankings on the ESPN Football Power Index.

The Blue Devils rose three spots to 55th in the national rankings on Sunday, and the improvement actually moved them back above the North Carolina Tar Heels. UNC tumbled down to 57th after it spent Saturday on the wrong side of a 41-21 Boston College blowout.

However, several teams with worse records remain above Duke, even just in the ACC. The Eagles (6-5) vaulted up to 50th with their big win over the Tar Heels, the California Golden Bears (6-5) remain 46th despite nearly losing to Stanford, and the Hokies (5-6) themselves still managed to stay within the top 40.

The SMU Mustangs (12th) clinched a spot in the ACC title game with their victory over Virginia, and if the Miami Hurricanes (10th) beat Syracuse in Week 14, they’ll join them in Charlotte. However, an Orange upset would send the Clemson Tigers (14th) to the big game.

Eli Pancol says Duke football senior night ‘felt like a dream come true’

Duke receiver Eli Pancol dominated his final game at Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday night, and he raved about the experience afterward.

Duke wide receiver [autotag]Eli Pancol[/autotag] played at Wallace Wade Stadium for the last time on Friday night, and he made sure he left the locker room with a win as the Blue Devils defeated Virginia Tech 31-28.

Afterward, Pancol stopped by the ACC Huddle desk to talk about his emotions during the victory lap in Durham.

“Seriously, it felt like a dream come true,” Pancol said simply. “Someone asked me out there, ‘What’d that feel like?’, it felt like a dream come true. I prayed for this.”

“My cousin who was there, her daughters, they wrote a little Christmas list for me, they said to get some touchdowns and get some catches,” he continued.

Well, Pancol certainly delivered on that promise, and he wasted no time doing so. He outraced the Virginia Tech secondary twice on the opening two possessions, scoring touchdowns of 86 and 77 yards in the first seven minutes.

Pancol finished with 188 yards and three touchdowns on five catches, but he told the ACC Huddle crew that his production remained dependent on the looks from the Virginia Tech defense.

“It could’ve been anybody,” he said simply.

The Duke wide receivers have certainly traded big performances over the last five weeks, but none have done so as consistently as Pancol. After he missed the entire 2023 season with an injury, the veteran wideout has 721 yards and nine touchdowns through the first 11 games of his final season.

Saturday’s game was the second time Pancol eclipsed 100 yards within the last month after his 138-yard performance against SMU in Week 9.

The best Duke football photos from the Week 13 win over the Virginia Tech Hokies

Check out the best photos from the Duke football victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday night.

The Duke Blue Devils won their eighth game of the 2024 college football season on Saturday night, a 31-28 triumph over the Virginia Tech Hokies, but the journey to that victory contained highs and lows that would draw envy from playwrights.

Duke scored on two of its first four offensive plays thanks to 86-yard and 77-yard connections between quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] and fifth-year wideout [autotag]Eli Pancol[/autotag]. Pancol, in his final game in front of the Durham crowds, ended with a career-high 188 yards on five receptions, and he caught a third touchdown in the second quarter.

Murphy also set a new personal record with 332 yards, and that second-quarter touchdown gave him the school’s single-season record, but his day contained some bumps and bruises. The redshirt sophomore threw interceptions on back-to-back possessions in the middle of the first half, turning what looked like a romp back into a shootout.

Struggles aside, Murphy’s three touchdowns to Pancol and another scoring drive to open the second half proved to be enough for another victory in the end.

Check out the best Duke football photos from the last game at Wallace Wade Stadium this season.