Duke basketball didn’t waste any time Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor. The No. 4 Blue Devils opened the game with a 13-0 run and never looked back, cruising to a 67-49 win over Boston College to notch their 10th straight ACC victory.
That opening burst set the tone. Duke’s defense came out locked in, holding the Eagles without a field goal for the first five minutes of the game. By halftime, the Blue Devils had built a 42-27 cushion, thanks in large part to a balanced offensive attack and relentless energy on the defensive end.
Cameron Boozer once again anchored Duke’s effort, putting together another double-double with 19 points on 9-of-17 shooting and 12 rebounds. The freshman continues to look like a veteran out there-strong on the glass, confident in the midrange, and decisive in the post. Isaiah Evans chipped in 12 points, giving Duke the scoring punch it needed to keep Boston College at arm’s length.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. The second half was a grind.
Boston College came out with a more physical, disruptive defensive presence after the break, holding Duke to just 25 points on 31.8% shooting-the Blue Devils’ lowest-scoring half of the season. Still, Duke outscored the Eagles 25-22 over the final 20 minutes, a testament to their ability to win ugly when the offense isn’t flowing.
After the game, head coach Jon Scheyer acknowledged the second-half struggles, but emphasized the importance of finding ways to finish games even when shots aren’t falling.
“It doesn’t feel good, obviously, scoring 25 points,” Scheyer said. “But if you’re going to score 25, at least hold them to less. That’s the one thing I would say, so that’s good.”
Scheyer pointed to a lack of sharpness on offense in the second half, crediting Boston College’s physical defense for getting Duke out of rhythm. Still, he was quick to highlight the team’s defensive consistency and effort, especially early on.
“I love the first sequence, how we started the game,” Scheyer said. “There was great purpose, great intensity.
One of the best plays to me-Caleb was in the gap, Isaiah dove for a loose ball, we got it, and then Dame ended up getting a dunk on the other end. That was five guys moving on a string together.”
That kind of connected defense has become a calling card for this Duke team. They’re communicating, rotating, and contesting with purpose-and it’s showing up in the results. Even when the offense stalls, the defense is keeping them in control.
As for the offense, Scheyer pointed to the team’s recent emphasis on establishing the paint as a foundational piece of their attack. While Duke hit a cold spell from beyond the arc in the second half, he wants his players to keep taking those open looks when they come-especially when they’re generated from inside-out action.
“I want us to shoot those open ones,” Scheyer said. “We have to continue to shoot them while also understanding establishing the paint is going to be a big strength for us.”
With the win, Duke improves to 21-1 overall and a perfect 10-0 in conference play. The Blue Devils are playing with the kind of defensive intensity and frontcourt dominance that travels well in March. And while the second half may not have been pretty, it was another ACC win-and those don’t come easy.
Bottom line: this team knows how to start fast, grind through the tough stretches, and finish the job. That’s the kind of DNA that wins championships.