Duke Eyes Milestone Win as Scheyer Nears 100 in Clash vs. Lipscomb
There’s a little extra buzz around Cameron Indoor Stadium this week-and it’s not just because the Blue Devils are undefeated. When Duke takes the floor against Lipscomb on Tuesday, head coach Jon Scheyer will be chasing his 100th career win.
If he gets it, he won’t just hit a nice round number-he’ll become the fastest coach in ACC history to reach the century mark. Not bad for a guy in just his fourth season at the helm.
The matchup tips off at 6 p.m. ET on the ACC Network and will also stream on Fubo.
Blue Devils Still Perfect, But Tested
Duke enters the night at 10-0, off to its best start under Scheyer. And this isn’t an empty unbeaten record-they’ve earned it. The Blue Devils are coming off a stretch of three straight wins over ranked opponents, including a gritty 66-60 road win at Michigan State, a one-point thriller over Florida, and a statement victory against Arkansas.
Cameron Boozer has been the engine for this squad. The freshman phenom leads the team in just about every major category-points (23.0), rebounds (9.9), assists (3.8), and steals (1.7) per game.
He’s not just filling the stat sheet; he’s doing it with poise and maturity well beyond his years. Boozer’s versatility and leadership have been critical in navigating a tough early schedule and keeping Duke’s offense humming.
Lipscomb Comes In Hot
Don’t let the mid-major label fool you-Lipscomb isn’t rolling into Durham just to play tourist. The Bison are 6-4, riding a five-game winning streak, and coming off a dominant 92-58 win over Alabama A&M. They’ve got scoring depth, with four players averaging double figures: Grant Asman (13.7 PPG), Ross Candelino (11.8), Mateo Esmeraldo (10.4), and Ethan Duncan (10.1).
This is a team that can shoot, move the ball, and punish mistakes. And early on, Duke gave them plenty of those.
First Half: Sloppy Start, Strong Finish
The first 20 minutes were a rollercoaster. Duke came out firing, jumping to a 10-0 lead before Lipscomb responded with a 10-0 run of their own. From there, it was a back-and-forth battle, with the Bison capitalizing on Duke’s uncharacteristic sloppiness.
The Blue Devils committed a season-high 16 turnovers in the first half alone, and Lipscomb turned those into 21 points. That’s the kind of stat that’ll make any coach sweat, milestone or not. At one point, Duke trailed 26-16 after another 10-0 Bison run, prompting a timeout from Scheyer.
But Duke showed some resilience, closing the half on a 7-0 run to take a 48-45 lead into the locker room. Despite holding the lead for only 5:15 of the half (compared to Lipscomb’s 12:49), the Blue Devils found a way to wrestle back momentum before the break.
Key Rotations and Bench Impact
Scheyer went to his bench early, bringing in Maliq Brown, Dame Sarr, and Cayden Boozer just four minutes into the game. That trio gave Duke a bit of a spark, especially on the defensive end. The Blue Devils also held Lipscomb without a field goal for over three minutes late in the half, a stretch that helped them claw back into the lead.
The starting five for Duke featured Caleb Foster, Nikolas Khamenia, Isaiah Evans, Cameron Boozer, and Patrick Ngongba II-a group that’s shown flashes of dominance but also moments of inconsistency, particularly in transition and ball security.
What’s at Stake
Beyond the milestone for Scheyer, this game is a key test of Duke’s focus. After a week off for finals and with a showdown against Texas Tech looming at Madison Square Garden, it would’ve been easy to overlook Lipscomb. But this one has turned into a real fight, and how Duke responds in the second half will say a lot about the team’s maturity.
With a stacked ACC schedule on the horizon-including matchups with Georgia Tech, Florida State, Louisville, and a January trip out west to face Cal and Stanford-Duke can’t afford to let bad habits linger. Turnovers like we saw in the first half won’t fly in conference play.
Looking Ahead
After Lipscomb, Duke will face Texas Tech on Dec. 20 at MSG, then return home to host Georgia Tech on New Year’s Eve. From there, it’s full steam into ACC play with road trips and rivalry games that will define the season.
But first, there’s unfinished business tonight. One more win gets Scheyer to 100-and with it, a place in the ACC record books. The Blue Devils have 20 minutes to clean things up and close it out.
Tipoff may have started with a milestone in mind, but now it’s about execution. Let’s see if Duke can finish the job.