The Duke Blue Devils have etched their name into the history books with a commanding performance at the Joyce Center, delivering a 100-56 blowout against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. This victory marks the largest home defeat for Notre Dame since the arena's inception in 1968.
Duke's dominance was on full display as they secured their 26th win of the season, including their 14th against ACC opponents. The Blue Devils were an unstoppable force, executing with precision on both ends of the court.
Notre Dame's head coach, Micah Shrewsberry, faced a challenging night, compounded by what appeared to be a non-contact injury on the sidelines. Despite his efforts, Shrewsberry had no answers for Duke's relentless attack. On the other side, Duke's head coach, Jon Scheyer, watched his team's impressive performance with a knowing grin.
The frustration among Notre Dame fans was palpable, with many expressing their discontent even before the final buzzer. By halftime, the Fighting Irish were trailing 54-22, and the second half offered little reprieve as Duke continued to pile on the points.
Statistically, the Blue Devils were in a league of their own. They forced 15 turnovers while committing just nine, and their defense snagged 11 steals compared to Notre Dame's single steal.
Duke also dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Irish by 13. Shooting-wise, Duke hit 46 percent from the field, 36 percent from three-point range, and an impressive 89 percent from the free-throw line.
In contrast, Notre Dame struggled with 37 percent, 27 percent, and 58 percent, respectively.
The loss drops Notre Dame to 12-16 overall and 3-12 in conference play, a tough pill to swallow for a team in the ACC. Meanwhile, Duke's record stands at an impressive 26-2 overall and 14-1 in the ACC.
As March Madness looms, it seems increasingly likely that Notre Dame will miss out on the ACC Tournament and a spot in the NCAA Tournament, leaving fans and the team searching for answers in a challenging season.