Mike Dunleavy’s 2002 Masterclass vs. NC State Still Feels Unfair

Twitter Gold: Mike Dunleavy’s 2002 Masterclass vs. NC State Still Feels Unfair

“He scored more than the entire team  in one half.”

That’s not a headline from a high school blowout or an NBA stat quirk. That actually happened on January 13th, 2002, when Duke forward Mike Dunleavy Jr. absolutely torched NC State in one of the most electric and underrated performances in Blue Devils history.

Let’s rewind.

It was a cold winter day in Raleigh, and Duke was in town to face the Wolfpack inside the Entertainment and Sports Arena (now known as the Lenovo Center). NC State, under the increasingly embattled Herb Sendek, was trying to finally break through against Triangle rivals Duke and UNC. Spoiler: they didn’t.

Mike Dunleavy saw to that  personally.

In one of the most lopsided halves of basketball you’ll ever see, Dunleavy outscored NC State by himself, dropping 22 first-half points compared to the Wolfpack’s 21. At one point, he rattled off 15 straight by himself, lighting up the court like it was a solo warm-up session. Duke led 45-21 at the break and cruised to a 76-57 win, but the story wasn’t the score  it was Dunleavy.

Dunleavy was silky smooth that day. He buried threes, slashed through defenders, and made it all look so effortless. It wasn’t just a great performance  it was one of the most dominant halves by any Duke player under Mike Krzyzewski. Even Coach K and Sendek had no choice but to praise him afterward.

And yet, somehow, this moment often gets lost in the deep vault of Duke’s glorious basketball history  hidden behind buzzer-beaters, championship runs, and a parade of All-Americans. But real ones remember.

Thanks to Twitter’s ever-persistent nostalgia machine, Dunleavy’s demolition of the Wolfpack is once again getting its flowers  and rightfully so. It was more than just a stat line. It was a lesson in control, confidence, and complete command of the game.

Bonus Nugget: A clip of this game even led to a resurfaced gem featuring the late, great Stuart Scott  a proud UNC alum who always gave props where they were due. His commentary? As iconic as Dunleavy’s performance.

Moral of the story: Don’t let greatness go unnoticed. Sometimes, it’s not about the championship moments  it’s about the quiet, devastating takeovers that remind us what elite basketball looks like.

And on that January day in 2002, Mike Dunleavy Jr. was simply untouchable.