For the second straight game, Duke reminded everyone why their defense was such a calling card early in the season. After a stretch where they allowed five consecutive opponents to shoot 50% or better from the field-a stat that had to be keeping Jon Scheyer up at night-the Blue Devils have flipped the script.
And it’s not just effort; it’s execution. Scheyer said something would click during the West Coast swing, and he wasn’t wrong.
Against Cal, you could see the defensive intensity start to return. But at Stanford?
That was a full-on defensive statement.
It started with Dame Sarr, who took on the challenge of guarding the ACC’s leading scorer, Ebuka Okorie-and made it personal. Sarr used every bit of his length and athleticism to hound Okorie from the opening tip.
He didn’t just contest shots; he disrupted rhythm. He didn’t just fight through screens; he erased passing lanes.
Okorie, fresh off a 36-point, 9-assist explosion against North Carolina, was held to just 9 points, 1 assist, and 4 turnovers. That’s not just a cold night-it’s a shutdown.
And it wasn’t just Sarr. Duke’s team defense was locked in.
They held Stanford to under 30% shooting in the first half, building a 35-19 lead that felt even more lopsided than the scoreboard suggested. The Blue Devils kept their foot on the gas in the second half, outscoring the Cardinal 45-31 to close out a dominant 30-point win.
Cameron Boozer was the engine on both ends. He poured in 30 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, controlling the paint and setting the tone.
Boozer looked every bit like the player Duke needs him to be-physical, poised, and relentless. Isaiah Evans added 15 points, and Patrick Ngongba II chipped in 13, giving the Blue Devils a well-rounded offensive attack.
Defensively, Duke was suffocating. They held Stanford to just 35% shooting overall and 25% from three.
The Cardinal came in as a team that typically takes care of the ball, but Duke forced 18 turnovers and turned those into 22 points. That’s the kind of two-way basketball that wins in March.
The Blue Devils also dominated inside, outscoring Stanford 44-20 in the paint-a reflection of both Boozer’s presence and the team’s commitment to attacking the rim.
This wasn’t just a win-it was a reminder of what this Duke team can be when it’s locked in. Another quad 1 victory is in the books, and the Blue Devils remain unbeaten in ACC play at 6-0, tied with Clemson atop the standings. With momentum building and the defense back in form, Duke heads home to Cameron Indoor for a two-game homestand starting with Wake Forest.
If this is the version of Duke we’re going to see moving forward, the rest of the ACC better take notice.