"Try ACC champs": Duke basketball claps back at UNC AD Bubba Cunningham over 'No. 1 seed announcement' incident
Duke men’s basketball has had a strong and memorable season. The Blue Devils finished with just one conference loss. Despite missing leading scorer Cooper Flagg in the key matches due to injury, they managed to defeat North Carolina in the semifinals and Louisville in the final to win the ACC tournament.
However, the Blue Devils’ success hasn’t gone unnoticed. North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham, during a CBS Sports appearance last month, hesitated to announce Duke as a No. 1 seed, which sparked some playful backlash from the Blue Devils' social media team.
"Try ACC Champs or The Brotherhood if you are still struggling w/ it today?" Duke’s social media account posted.
The moment that sparked this reaction occurred during a live broadcast where Cunningham was asked to reveal the third No. 1 seed. "Third numb— oh I can't do it," Cunningham said, choosing not to say his rival’s name.
Duke and North Carolina have had contrasting seasons despite their historic rivalry. The Blue Devils posted their best record since the 2021-22 season, while North Carolina finished at 22-13 overall and 13-7 in conference play.
How Duke overcame challenges to win the ACC Tournament?
The Blue Devils faced some challenges early on during their first game at the Spectrum Center. Duke entered the tournament after winning 19 of 20 conference games, 17 of them by double digits.
However, the Blue Devils lost Maliq Brown to a shoulder injury and saw Cooper Flagg roll his ankle late in the first half. Trailing the Yellow Jackets, Duke faced a tough challenge for the first time since their loss to Clemson earlier in the season.
The team rallied to secure a comeback win over Georgia Tech before holding off a second-half push from North Carolina in the semifinals.
In the championship game against Louisville, Duke completed another comeback victory. A strong second-half scoring helped them claim a 73-63 win, securing the program’s 23rd ACC Tournament title.
Kon Knueppel took charge in the absence of Flagg and Brown, averaging 21 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists throughout the tournament to earn the ACC Tournament MVP award. In the final game, Knueppel recorded 18 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists.