Duke 63, Wake Forest 59
Duke completed one of the most remarkable tournament runs in ACC history Saturday night, stunning favored Wake Forest 63–59 before a capacity crowd of 12,500 at Reynolds Coliseum to capture the 1960 conference championship. A team that entered the tournament with a .500 league record and little outside expectation finished it as the league’s Cinderella champion, toppling both regular‑season co‑leaders—Carolina and Wake Forest—on consecutive nights.
Duke Finishes the Job in the Final Minute
The title was not secured until the closing seconds, when junior guard Johnny Frye, a stocky ministerial student with ice in his veins, stepped to the foul line twice in the final 21 seconds and calmly dropped in four straight free throws to seal the victory. Wake Forest had led 58–57 with two and a half minutes left but managed only one point the rest of the way.
Duke took the lead for good at the 2:08 mark when Doug Kistler, who led all scorers with 22 points, spun and hit a 10‑foot turn shot to make it 59–58. After a Wake timeout and a missed jumper by George Ritchie, Howard Hurt grabbed the rebound and Frye was fouled. His two free throws pushed the margin to 61–58.
Wake cut it to 61–59 on a free throw by Len Chappell with 24 seconds left, but Frye was fouled again moments later and repeated the performance—two more perfect shots, a 63–59 lead, and the championship all but secured.
A Stunning Turnaround for Bubas’ First Duke Team
The victory capped a remarkable first season for Coach Vic Bubas, who delivered Duke’s first conference title since 1946. The Blue Devils had been routed twice by Wake Forest during the regular season and three times by Carolina yet played their finest basketball of the year when the stakes were highest.
Duke’s starters—Hurt, Frye, Kistler, Jack Mullen, and Carroll Youngkin—played the entire second half without rest, hustling relentlessly and executing Bubas’ game plan with precision.
Defense on Chappell Turns the Tide
A key to the victory was Duke’s second‑half defense on Wake’s powerful sophomore center Len Chappell, who scored 14 points in the first half but only five in the second. Bubas deployed a compact zone designed to deny Chappell the ball, forcing Wake’s guards to shoot from outside. The Deacons, normally deadly from mid‑range, hit only 33.8 percent for the game.
Wake Forest dominated the boards 51–34, with Dave Budd grabbing 15 rebounds and Chappell 14, but could not convert its advantage into points. The Deacons never reached the one‑and‑one bonus and attempted only 13 free throws, making nine.
A Game of Narrow Margins
Wake Forest led 31–30 at halftime after two late baskets by Twig Wiggins, and the second half was a tug‑of‑war in which neither team led by more than three points until the final minute. Wake’s largest lead was 51–48 midway through the half, but Duke answered with a six‑point burst to go ahead 54–51.
The Deacons tied it at 57–57 with 4:33 left, then took their final lead on a free throw by Billy Packer. But Packer missed a key outside shot moments later, and Duke seized control for good.
A Cinderella Crown
Duke’s free‑throw shooting—17 of 20, including its first 12—proved decisive. Kistler’s inside scoring, Youngkin’s steady play, and Hurt’s all‑court effort rounded out a true team victory.
The Blue Devils, overlooked and underestimated entering the tournament, leave Raleigh as champions—having beaten South Carolina, North Carolina, and Wake Forest in succession, and having delivered the ACC’s biggest postseason surprise since Clemson’s improbable run in 1939.
 |  |
Courtesy of The News and Observer March 6, 1960 via Newspapers.com