For 30 minutes on Saturday, Duke looked destined for the national title game. Cooper Flagg’s wild freshman season was about to end with a storybook finish. The Blue Devils were firing on all cylinders—just like they had been all season long. But then… Houston’s defense pulled the ultimate plot twist. This wasn’t just a loss—it was a flat-out collapse. The kind that fans won’t forget anytime soon- and will not let Tyrese Proctor forget it either.

Duke made just one field goal in the last 10 and a half minutes. One. The team had never lost a game under Jon Scheyer when leading by 10 or more. Yes, that streak’s toast. The Cougars came back with a 10-0 run to cut Duke’s 59-45 lead to just four.  Then they finished with a jaw-dropping 15-3 burst to steal the game, 70-67, and punch their ticket to the title game against Florida.

From smooth sailing to shipwreck in under 11 minutes. But that last minute was truly a Blue Blood fan’s nightmare. Up 67-61 with the ball and just over a minute to go, that was supposed to be game over. Flagg was putting on an absolute clinic, and Duke looked calm and collected. But then… Cougars decided to remind the world why they’re one of the most relentless teams in the country.

First came the missed layup from Kon Knueppel. No biggie, right? Except Emmanuel Sharp pulled up on the other end and knocked down a dagger three to cut the lead to 67-64 with 33 seconds left. That’s when things truly spiraled.  Duke turned it over on the inbound—just flat-out gave it away—and Houston’s Joseph Tugler dunked it home. Now it’s 67-66. Still, Duke had a chance. Tyrese Proctor stepped to the line with a chance to put them up by three. And he missed. Ice cold—but not in a good way.

Then Flagg gets whistled for a loose ball foul on the rebound, sending J’Wan Roberts to the line with a chance to take the lead. And he sank both. Houston up 68-67. Just like that. The freshman star got a good look to answer, but his jumper bounced off the front of the rim. Houston grabbed the board, got fouled, and L.J. Cryer hit both free throws to ice it. A full-on meltdown by Duke after being up 14 with 8:17 left.

And even though Flagg dropped 27 points, 7 boards, 4 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals, the final plays will haunt him. That foul. That missed jumper. But all the heat is landing on Tyrese Proctor.

Proctor, who shoots 42.2% in the season, finished with just 7 points. He went 2-of-8 from the field, missed two crucial free throws, and bricked all four of his three-point attempts. So, obviously, Duke fans are not in a forgiving mood. 

They’re on social media, letting him hear it loud and clear. 

Duke fans done with Tyrese Proctor?

“Tyrese Proctor….. I’ll never forgive you.” That’s not just one fan’s rage tweet – it’s the shared heartbreak of Duke nation after another brutal tourney exit. Those two missed free throws were brutal. Fans are stuck replaying that moment where he could’ve just passed it to Flagg instead of holding onto it. 

Another added to the pile, “tyrese proctor chokes every time in big games 🤦🏾‍♂️” and it’s not like they’re pulling that out of thin air. He’s been part of all three of Jon Scheyer’s Duke squads. In 2023, sure, he had a solid second half against Tennessee and said the game “slowed down” for him. But the shots were till not falling. 

He stayed another year when he could’ve gone pro, hoping to build on that spark. Only… it never lit a fire. By the Elite Eight in 2024, he hit rock bottom—0-for-9 from the field, 0-for-5 from deep. And then again this time. It’s been a thing with him—disappearing when it matters most. That’s what really frustrates fans, because all the good stuff he does just… vanishes in the shadows of these late-game collapses.

And it’s not just Proctor catching heat. Fans came hard for Coach Jon Scheyer, too. One chimed in, “tyrese proctor and jon scheyer should never see the light of day again,” and that sums up the mood. Scheyer’s play calling down the stretch was straight-up questioned. Two inbounds plays led to turnovers and let Houston slip back in. 

Houston’s high-pressure defense forced Duke’s guards to inbound against the sideline trap – the exact press that buried Baylor more than a week ago. Scheyer had seen it. And still, no counter.

Fans weren’t even mad as much as they were stunned that nothing creative got drawn up. Same mistakes, different March. And while Proctor had his own baggage, fans didn’t hesitate to pile it on. Another added, “Tyrese Proctor better be off the Duke roster next year if he doesn’t end up getting drafted.” The Australian baller was once a projected lottery pick and has an NIL value of $63K (per On3), top 150 in the country.

He reclassified in 2022, expected to be a one-and-done. That never happened. Not in year one. Not in year two. Sure, this season, he looked closer to what people thought he could be – but draft hopes dimmed again without a Final Four breakout. Now, fans want him gone; some aren’t even subtle about it. One said, “Tyrese Proctor, don’t come back to Duke next year gang.”

In the aftermath, Coach Scheyer appeared visibly crushed, stating, “It’s heartbreaking, it’s incredibly disappointing. There’s a lot of pain that comes with this.”

His undefeated record with double-digit leads is gone. Tyrese Proctor’s confidence, maybe too. For Duke, what’s next is a long off-season – and a lot of what-ifs.