Sunday, Duke fell one game short of reaching the program's 18th Final Four. Eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by in-state foe NC State, 74-64, there has been no shortage of passion and anger on social media from the Blue Devil faithful.
One player who fans are not happy with is guard Tyrese Proctor. He was 0-9 from the field and scored no points, the only starter on either team to fail to crack the scoring column. Naturally, fans took notice of his poor showing.
Tyrese Proctor was as useful as I was for the game today & I haven’t left my couch today. pic.twitter.com/Oj16UkupE8
— blake (@blakestonks) March 31, 2024
JFK would be running for reelection if Tyrese Proctor was in Dallas that day…
— Barstool Blue Devils (@BarstoolBDevils) April 1, 2024
Duke players to Tyrese Proctor in the locker room after the game pic.twitter.com/RF9n0fvaJD
— 🚶🏾♂️ (@ETNSZN) March 31, 2024
As one might expect, head coach John Scheyer is also taking heat from the fans. That's despite getting to the Elite 8 in just his second year in charge.
John Scheyer’s inability to realize Sean Stewart literally won them the game when they played @ NC State is what is loosing them this game. Oh along the fact that Flip can’t stay out of foul trouble.
— Ryan McCarthy (@ryan3mccarthy) March 31, 2024
as an honest duke fan. i say we just give up on this program for the next couple decades. coach K is gone and so is our relevancy. i will be moving to a REAL team in the Indiana Hoosiers
— Jeffery Perkins (@JefferyxBball) March 31, 2024
From a coaching standpoint, I’m not sure how John Scheyer has tried to play Burns 1 on 1 all night. He’s been eating and you never changed a thing
— justin scott (@jescott10) March 31, 2024
John scheyer is cbb Ryan day
— ³² (@BRlANBRANCH) March 31, 2024
If there is one Blue Devil who is getting some appreciation from the fans it is freshman guard Jared McCain. The sharpshooter was 8-20 from the floor and had 32 points in the losing effort on Sunday.
Jared McCain in front of his phone in about 30 minutes pic.twitter.com/N3343wxGTV
— ᗩᑎT ᗯᖇIGᕼT (@itsAntWright) March 31, 2024
“In the beginning of the year when I felt like I couldn’t get things going, they instilled confidence in me”
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 1, 2024
All the feels from Jared McCain#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/psgJicgYZm
Please return Jared McCain next season we deserve another year of you!! pic.twitter.com/c4U7byHqAd
— Amy Murray (@VTDukefan) March 31, 2024
Ultimately, fans have the right to be frustrated, angry, emotional, or even disenchanted. That's what makes sports so great.
They allow us all a relatively safe opportunity to experience a range of emotions. What's more, they give us the chance to express those emotions however we see fit.
Duke fans are some of the most passionate in the country and the expectations in Durham are as high as they are anywhere else. If Duke fans didn't react strongly to an Elite 8 loss, then it wouldn't be the Blue Devil nation as we've come to know it and the sport wouldn't be the same.