Duke University kicked off its basketball season Tuesday night with a victory against the University of Texas in the inaugural Dick Vitale Invitational at the Spectrum Center, winning 75-60.
The game marked the beginning of what could become a new sports tradition, with Duke securing its first win of the season and maintaining a perfect record against the Texas Longhorns, now 6-0 all-time.
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“This didn’t happen just because of me,” said Dick Vitale, the Hall of Fame broadcaster for ESPN, who was emotional about the event named in his honor. “This happened for everyone on the air who worked with me, off the air, people behind the scenes, PR departments, administrators — this all belongs to them.”
The Dick Vitale Invitational is slated to be an annual event, celebrating the contributions of Vitale, who has been calling games for ESPN for 47 seasons. Despite battling four different cancers, including vocal chord cancer, over the past four years, Vitale was there to call Tuesday night’s game, using the platform to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research.
Isaiah Evans, a former North Mecklenburg High School star, was a standout performer for Duke, scoring 21 points and shooting 80% from three-point range at one point during the game. Caleb Foster, of Harrisburg, also played a crucial role in Duke’s second-half performance, assisting Cameron Boozer for a jam and contributing to Duke’s lead.
VIDEO: Duke Blue Devils and Texas Longhorns to face off in inaugural Dick Vitale Invitational
