Duke didn’t just beat Tennessee in Tuesday night’s exhibition at Cameron Indoor. The Blue Devils blew the doors off it.
What looked on paper like a real test turned into a runaway almost immediately. Duke ripped off a 29-6 start in the first nine minutes, carried a 54-30 lead into halftime and kept pouring it on from there in a 101-64 win. The result came even though Duke was missing Caleb Foster and Drew Scharnowski.
Against the preseason AP No. 8 Volunteers, Duke looked every bit like a team built to contend.
The defense was the first thing that jumped out, and it didn’t take long to understand why. Jon Scheyer’s teams have already finished in the KenPom Top 5 in adjusted defensive efficiency in each of the last two seasons, and this group looks capable of staying in that neighborhood.
With Patrick Ngongba and Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje anchoring the middle, the paint is going to be a problem for opponents. Dame Sarr adds elite perimeter defense, and Duke’s length shows up all over the floor.
Tennessee shot under 40% from the field and turned it over in double figures.
Boumtje Boumtje’s night was especially encouraging. The 17-year-old freshman had already looked the part against Belmont, but Tennessee offered a much tougher physical matchup.
He handled it anyway. In 21 minutes, he posted 11 points, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks, and he still looked like the stronger presence on the floor.
Rick Barnes’ teams don’t usually make anything easy, so that was a meaningful showing.
Deron Rippey also made a loud case for minutes. Once Foster is back, Scheyer’s backcourt rotation will have plenty of moving parts, but Rippey may be too good to sit.
He finished with 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting and hit 3-of-6 from deep. He also brought the kind of burst that changes a game in a hurry.
“DERON RIPPEY JR. CAN FLY pic.twitter.com/uqGq8zPvOP
- Zion O. (@DukeNBA) October 21, 2026
John Blackwell offered another layer of scoring punch. The Wisconsin transfer doesn’t need much space, and he doesn’t waste time finding his rhythm.
He finished with 18 points in 21 minutes, going 6-of-8 from the field and 4-of-6 from three. He can score without demanding the spotlight, which is exactly what makes him such a useful weapon.
The one Duke newcomer who may need a little more patience is five-star forward Cameron Williams. His illness has left him a step behind, and he is still more raw than Boumtje Boumtje or Rippey.
That puts him further down the rotation than many expected, and Scharnowski’s return will make the competition even tighter. Still, the flashes are there, and the path for Williams can open if he keeps working and stays patient.
In Other News...
Duke Fans Finally Got An Answer On Kimari Robinsons Sideline Incident
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Robinson has since apologized both privately and publicly, and he also acknowledged the mistake in his own statement while expressing concern for Stone. For Duke, the important part now is that the matter is being handled internally, but the incident offered a glimpse of how quickly emotions can boil over when a teammate is hurt and the pressure is on. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Fans Have A New Reason To Watch Jake Dickert
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Several names are already circulating, and one that will draw extra attention in the ACC is Jake Dickert. Along with Manny Diaz, Jason Eck, Bryant Haines, Mike Shanahan, Charles Huff, Brian Kelly and Dan Mullen, Dickert is being discussed as part of Marylands early pool of possible candidates, and the search will be closely watched by everyone in the league who understands how one move like this can ripple outward. [Read more 🡒]
Dukes Guard Rotation Just Got More Complicated Before Kansas
Caleb Fosters return is beginning to edge back into the conversation for Duke, and that matters with Kansas on deck for the Blue Devils third exhibition game. The senior guard has missed the first two tuneups, but Jon Scheyer said Foster has a chance to play, a sign that his recovery is moving in the right direction as Duke inches closer to the games that count.
For a team that has already gotten solid production from its other guards, Fosters availability only adds another layer to an already crowded backcourt picture. Duke has handled his absence well so far, but the bigger question now is how the rotation settles once he is healthy enough to rejoin it, with Scheyer indicating Foster should be ready when the regular season opener arrives. [Read more 🡒]