Duke basketball credits experience from Kentucky that resulted in win over Arizona

The Duke basketball team is not playing in a signature multi-team event (MTE) this year but Jon Scheyer might have made things more difficult on his program with the non-conference schedule that he put together, and it’s already paying off.

The Blue Devils learned a lesson the hard way in its first major game of the season, blowing a 9-point halftime lead to lose by five. It was not the easiest of second halves for Duke in the defeat, but it’s exactly what Scheyer was hoping for – learning and progression.

It showed on Friday night on the road against Arizona.

“Kentucky. Kentucky was a really good test,” Tyrese Proctor said after the 69-55 victory of what helped the team navigate Arizona’s runs.

“Coming out of halftime in this game, we talked about Kentucky, and we huddled before we went back out, and we just said, we have to a have a better start than we did back then.”

Duke, which led by seven at halftime, saw No. 17 Arizona (2-2) score the first four points of the second half to cut its deficit to three before the Blue Devils rattled off an 8-0 run to push the lead to double figures.

“We came out a little shaky, but we stayed together,” Proctor continued.  I think everyone just came as one and we didn't separate. We trusted our work, like coach said, and we just knew we could pull through the second half.

Arizona never got closer than within six points after Duke’s initial 11-point advantage.

The victory served as the first major accomplishment for the No. 12 Blue Devils (4-1) this season, but things will not get any easier as the team travels to Las Vegas to play No. 1 Kansas (5-0) on Tuesday night (9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN). A matchup at home against No. 4 Auburn (4-0) looms the following week in the ACC vs. SEC Challenge.