Déjà Blue? Duke’s Collapse Against Texas Tech Reignites Familiar Concerns
For 30 minutes on Saturday, Duke looked every bit the powerhouse its 11-0 record had suggested. The Blue Devils had built a commanding 17-point lead over Texas Tech, seemingly cruising toward a 12-0 start and a clean sweep of their non-conference schedule. But then - as Duke fans have seen before - the wheels came off.
Texas Tech stormed back in the second half, erasing the deficit and ultimately handing Duke its first loss of the season, 82-81. It wasn’t just a loss - it was a gut punch.
And for those who remember last year’s Final Four heartbreak against Houston, it felt all too familiar. In that game, Duke squandered a 14-point lead late and a six-point edge with just 35 seconds left.
Saturday’s meltdown echoed that collapse in a way that’s hard to ignore.
This wasn’t just about one bad stretch. It was about patterns - the kind that championship teams can’t afford to repeat.
Let’s talk about what’s really going on here.
A Team Built for March… But Still Learning How to Finish
There’s no denying the talent on this Duke roster. The Blue Devils came into the season with sky-high expectations, headlined by the presence of Cooper Flagg and a supporting cast that saw four players drafted into the NBA last year.
Head coach Jon Scheyer didn’t shy away from the challenge, either. He built a non-conference schedule loaded with landmines - Kansas, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan State, and Texas - and Duke navigated it with poise and purpose.
But the Texas Tech loss exposed some of the same lingering flaws that have shadowed this program since last season.
Slow starts. Inconsistent free throw shooting.
A lack of a reliable second scoring option when Flagg is bottled up. These aren’t new issues - they’ve just been masked by wins.
Now, they’re front and center.
The Missing Killer Instinct
One of the biggest questions surrounding Duke last season was whether they had that “closer” mentality - the ability to put teams away when it mattered most. Saturday’s game suggests that question still hasn’t been answered.
Up 17 in the second half, the Blue Devils had a chance to slam the door shut. Instead, they let Texas Tech hang around - and the Red Raiders made them pay.
The final minutes were a flurry of missed opportunities, defensive breakdowns, and empty possessions. And just like that, an undefeated start turned into a sobering reminder of how quickly things can unravel.
It’s not about effort - this team plays hard. It’s about execution under pressure, and right now, Duke is still figuring that part out.
The Road Ahead: Reality Check or Red Flag?
Let’s not overreact. One loss doesn’t define a season - especially not one that came against a tough opponent in a hostile environment. But it can reveal a lot.
The Blue Devils now head into ACC play with a chip on their shoulder and some very real questions to answer. Georgia Tech awaits on New Year’s Eve, and the conference slate won’t offer much breathing room after that.
The good news? This team has already proven it can beat elite competition.
The bad news? If they don’t clean up the details - the free throws, the late-game decision-making, the scoring depth - they could find themselves in another March heartbreak.
There’s still time. But the margin for error just got a little smaller.
Duke’s season is far from over. But if they want to write a different ending this time around, they’ll need to learn from Saturday - and fast.