Duke kept rolling Thursday night, and Coastal Carolina had no answer for the Blue Devils from the opening tip to the final buzzer.
Jon Scheyer’s team cruised to a 113-52 win at Cameron Indoor Stadium to move to 2-0, and the performance only strengthened the sense that this group is operating at a high level this early in the season. The next test comes against No. 6 Michigan State in the Champions Classic, but Duke has already put plenty on film.
The most striking part of the night was the defense. Duke jumped out to a 14-0 lead, led 54-18 at halftime, and never let the Chanticleers find any rhythm.
Coastal Carolina shot 30% from the field and 4-of-22 from three, while Duke controlled the glass 53-27, won the paint battle 52-26, piled up 27 fast-break points, and forced 17 turnovers that turned into 27 points. The Blue Devils also finished with 12 steals and nine blocks.
That kind of length and disruption has made Duke look like a nightmare matchup already. The Blue Devils are not just big and talented; they’re starting to look connected, too.
Thirteen players saw the floor, 10 scored, and seven hit a three-pointer. Duke assisted on 25 of its 38 made baskets, and the team had different leaders in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
There was also a clear sign of offensive growth from deep. After going just 4-of-22 from three against Army, Duke bounced back by shooting 11-of-22 from beyond the arc against Coastal Carolina.
Seven different players made at least one three, which matters when you combine that kind of perimeter shooting with the size Duke can throw at teams inside. Through two games, the Blue Devils have already scored 102 points in the paint.
The one blemish was the turnover count. Duke gave it away 15 times after committing 13 turnovers against Army, and several of Thursday’s miscues were unforced. Still, that’s the kind of issue that can be put in perspective this early in the year, especially when everything else is clicking the way it is for the Blue Devils.
In Other News...
Duke Just Turned One Rival Rout Into A Massive Miami Test
Dukes lopsided win over NC State did more than pad the record, it reinforced just how complete this team can look when the defense sets the tone and the run game takes over. Nate Sheppard was the centerpiece of that performance, piling up 217 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a statement outing that put him squarely in the conversation for bigger individual honors while giving the Blue Devils another weapon to lean on as the schedule tightens.
Now the challenge gets sharper with Miami coming next, and that matchup will say plenty about whether Dukes recent surge is built to travel against a higher-end opponent. The Blue Devils have shown enough on both sides of the ball to make the ACC race interesting, but this is the kind of test that can clarify whether they are merely rolling through a good stretch or truly positioning themselves for a run at the championship picture. [Read more 🡒]
Nate Sheppard Is Turning Dukes Miami Test Into Something Bigger
Dukes 41-3 win over NC State did more than pad the record. It pushed the Blue Devils to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in ACC play, and it came with one of the most complete performances they have put together this season. Nate Sheppard was at the center of it, leading the way with 217 rushing yards and three touchdowns while the defense kept NC State off the board in the end zone and held the Wolfpack to 217 total yards.
For a Duke team trying to keep building momentum, the timing matters as much as the margin. The Blue Devils have found a rhythm on both sides of the ball, and Sheppards breakout night gave the offense a clear identity while the defense backed it up with a suffocating effort. The bigger question now is how much of this can carry over as the schedule tightens and the stakes keep rising. [Read more 🡒]
Jon Scheyer Sends Encouraging Early Message On Duke Freshman Joaquim Boumtje
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje is already drawing attention in Durham, and not just because he arrived at Duke as the youngest player in program history. The 17-year-old freshman has flashed real promise early in the season, even if the adjustment has come with the usual bumps, including a modest outing against Coastal Carolina. For a team that is always under a microscope, his early minutes have become one of the more interesting development stories on the roster.
Jon Scheyer has been encouraged by what he has seen so far, pointing to Boumtje Boumtjes coachability and the progress he has made in a short time. The Duke coach said the freshman is ahead of schedule in his development and already providing impactful minutes, which matters for a player still learning the pace and physical demands of college basketball. The next step is the one every young player faces: turning that early promise into consistency as the season keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]