Duke Handles Business Against Boston College, Extends ACC Dominance
Tuesday night in Durham was more of the same for the Duke Blue Devils - and that’s exactly what they wanted. The No. 4 team in the country, sitting comfortably atop the ACC standings with a 20-1 record, flexed its muscle early and never looked back in a methodical 67-49 win over Boston College.
For BC, this was always going to be an uphill battle. Entering as 27.5-point underdogs, the Eagles needed a near-perfect performance to hang with one of the most balanced teams in the country. Instead, they found themselves in a hole almost immediately - and it was a deep one.
Duke came out of the gates flying, opening the game on a 13-0 run that set the tone for the rest of the night. Boston College didn’t get on the board until nearly five minutes in, when Fred Payne finally broke the drought with a layup. But by then, the damage was already starting to pile up.
The Blue Devils were dominant in the paint early, using their size and athleticism to create high-percentage looks. Malik Brown, Isaiah Davis, and Cameron Boozer all threw down emphatic dunks in the first half, energizing the Cameron Indoor crowd and stretching the lead to as many as 18 before halftime. Duke led 42-27 at the break, and the scoreboard didn’t lie - they were in full control.
The second half brought more of the same. Duke pushed the lead to 20 early and never allowed BC to get within striking distance.
It wasn’t a flashy offensive night for either team - both struggled from beyond the arc - but Duke’s defense made sure the outcome was never in doubt. The Blue Devils racked up 10 steals and kept the Eagles’ offense in check all night.
For Boston College, Fred Payne was the lone bright spot. The guard finished with 14 points on 7-of-14 shooting, showing some fight even as the rest of the offense sputtered. Outside of Payne, the Eagles just couldn’t find rhythm or production, finishing with only 49 points - a tough number to overcome against a team as disciplined and defensively sound as Duke.
This win wasn’t about style points for the Blue Devils. It was about taking care of business, staying sharp, and continuing to build momentum as March creeps closer. They didn’t need a 30-point blowout to make a statement - the way they controlled the game from start to finish said plenty.
For Boston College, it’s back to the drawing board. There’s still time to fight back to .500 and claw their way into the ACC mix, but nights like this show just how steep the climb can be in one of college basketball’s toughest conferences.