A MIRACLE THREE SAVED DUKE… BUT THE REAL STORY IS THE MISSED ELBOW NO-CALL THAT FLIPPED THE GAME — AND NOW FANS ARE ASKING: WHAT WAS SCHEYER THINKING?
The Duke Blue Devils may have escaped with a dramatic 67–66 win over No. 15 Florida, but the conversation after the buzzer has been far less about the heroics — and far more about the controversy, the collapse, and the coaching decisions that nearly cost Duke its perfect season.
Yes, freshman Isaiah Evans drilled the miracle three — his first made triple of the night after starting 0-for-7 — and yes, Duke survived to move to 9–0. But beneath the celebration sits a storm brewing in the fan base, because the entire final stretch was shaped by one moment many believe the officials completely botched.
THE MOMENT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING: THE ELBOW THAT WASN’T CALLED
With Duke in control earlier in the second half, a Florida player drove with the ball, threw an elbow that appeared on replay to hit a Duke defender directly in the face, then continued into the lane.
Instead of a flagrant on Florida, the officials ruled a common foul on Duke.
Fans erupted instantly — and many say this is the exact moment momentum flipped.
Florida gained fire. Duke lost focus.
From that point forward:
- Florida’s energy skyrocketed
- Duke’s defensive communication crumbled
- The Blue Devils’ composed lead started to vanish
- The game turned into a frantic scramble instead of Duke’s usual controlled pace
What should’ve been a chance for Duke to extend its cushion instead became the spark that fueled Florida’s comeback run.
THE COLLAPSE: TURNOVERS, MISSED FREE THROWS, AND HEAD-SCRATCHING ROTATIONS
The officiating controversy wasn’t the only issue.
Duke fans zeroed in on Jon Scheyer’s late-game decisions — particularly who he had on the floor during the most crucial possessions.
Foster — a 58% free-throw shooter — was on the floor late when everyone knew Florida would foul.
He missed the free throw.
He also threw a costly turnover in the open court on a lazy pass that nearly doomed Duke’s final possessions.
Meanwhile:
- Maliq Brown was on the floor despite having 0 rebounds in the entire game
- Khaman Maluach, a defensive anchor, was left out of key crunch-time sequences
- Cooper Flagg, last year’s go-to late-game option, wasn’t used as a decoy or primary look in the final possession setups
Fans pointed out that late-game issues were a problem last season as well, and the patterns seem to be repeating.
THE MIRACLE SHOT — AND THE QUESTIONS IT CAN’T ERASE
With Duke’s offense stalling and the clock dwindling, Evans got the ball outside the arc with the season’s undefeated record hanging in the balance.
He’d missed every three he attempted.
He was ice-cold.
He had no rhythm.
And then he calmly drilled the game-winner — one of the most clutch shots of Duke’s young season.
The play saved Duke from what would’ve been a painful and embarrassing loss.
But while the miracle shot stole the headlines, it couldn’t erase how the game reached that point — the no-call elbow, the collapse, and the coaching decisions that nearly blew a double-digit lead.
“WHAT WAS SCHEYER THINKING?” — THE QUESTION NOW TRENDING AMONG DUKE FANS
Social media and forums lit up immediately after the game.
Some were furious with officiating.
Some were stunned by the near-meltdown.
But a growing number focused on Scheyer’s late-game rotations and decision-making:
- “Why was Foster on the floor when Florida HAD to foul?”
- “How does a big man with zero rebounds get crunch-time minutes?”
- “Why wasn’t Maluach used defensively when Duke desperately needed stops?”
- “Why wasn’t Flagg even used as a decoy?”
Even in victory, the questions grow louder — because fans know these same issues will not fly against tougher, more polished teams.
And next on the schedule?
Michigan State.
THE WIN THAT FELT LIKE A WARNING
Duke is 9–0. They survived. They remain top-five in the nation.
But this wasn’t just an escape.
It was a spotlight on:
- An officiating decision that changed momentum
- A late-game collapse that shouldn’t have happened
- A coaching gamble that almost backfired
- A roster that still struggles to close games cleanly
The miracle shot will live on highlight reels.
But inside Duke Nation, the bigger story is the flaw that now feels impossible to ignore.
Because if Michigan State — or anyone else in conference play — gets the same kind of opening Florida was gifted?
There might not be another miracle three waiting to bail Duke out again.
