Duke finished its exhibition slate with a 90-84 win over Kansas, and the Blue Devils did it the hard way.
The game was tight for long stretches, but Duke’s decisive move came late in the second half with an 11-0 burst that stretched across nearly four minutes and finally put some distance between the two teams. From there, the Blue Devils held on to close out the Jayhawks in the final tune-up before the real games begin.
Jon Scheyer’s team had already shown it could land punches early. Duke built a 12-point advantage with 8:29 left in the first half, only for Kansas to swing back before the break. The Jayhawks finished the half on a 26-12 run and went into halftime up two, keeping the matchup right where it had been for most of the night - a back-and-forth fight between two blue-blood programs.
The second half stayed that way at first. The teams traded the lead, and neither side managed to get more than a four-point cushion until Duke’s late run changed the tone.
Patrick Ngongba was the difference-maker for Duke, turning in a double-double with 28 points and 10 rebounds. John Blackwell added 23 points, knocking down 4 of 7 from deep and 7 of 8 at the line. Dame Sarr also reached double figures with 12 points.
Kansas got 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists from Tyran Stokes.
Duke now turns to the regular season, opening against Army on Monday, Nov. 2.
In Other News...
Duke's Road Win Put A New Spotlight On Its Receiver Battle
Dukes 19-16 win at Virginia did more than stop a two-game slide. It also sharpened the focus on a receiver room that has been searching for answers, and the latest road trip offered a little more evidence that the conversation is shifting. Freshman Brody Keefe turned in one of the more notable performances, finishing with three catches and a late touchdown as the Blue Devils found just enough offense to pull out a tight game.
Javen Nicholas, meanwhile, remains part of the discussion because his production still has not matched the expectations attached to him. With other contributors like Owen Wafle also making their presence felt and Patrick Smith-Young standing out on defense with eight tackles and an interception, Duke suddenly has a clearer picture of who is helping drive winning plays. The next step is figuring out how that receiver battle settles as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Cooper Flagg Injury Update Brings Early Concern For Duke Fans
Cooper Flaggs shoulder issue is the kind of early-season setback that gets attention quickly, especially after the way he had started his rookie campaign. Flagg suffered a mild sprain in his left shoulder against the Indiana Pacers and was ruled out for the next game against the San Antonio Spurs, a move that points more toward caution than alarm.
The injury does not appear to be major, but the plan is for Flagg to sit out for a few games while he recovers. For Duke fans watching his progress, that makes the next stretch worth tracking closely, since he had been performing well before the shoulder problem interrupted his momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Fans Got An Early Read On This New Look Roster
An exhibition at Phog Allen Fieldhouse gave Kansas fans an early look at Dukes new roster before the games start to count, and the setting alone made it feel a little closer to the regular season than most preseason tune-ups. For a program with a fresh mix of pieces to sort out, the matchup offered a useful test against a high-level opponent in a building that rarely lets anything feel casual.
Duke had enough game action to start forming an identity, with the score and individual production giving a clearer sense of where the roster stands heading into November. The final result and the detailed stat line both pointed to the same thing: there is still plenty to learn about how this group will fit together, and the exhibition only sharpened the curiosity about what comes next once the real schedule begins. [Read more 🡒]