Another game, another statement from Duke - and this one came with the kind of poise and polish that screams March readiness.
The Blue Devils rolled into Blacksburg and left with a 72-58 win over Virginia Tech, pushing their record to a blistering 20-1 overall and 9-0 in the ACC. That’s a clean sweep through the first half of conference play.
No slip-ups, no drama. Just a team handling its business like a squad with bigger goals in mind.
And here’s the thing: Duke never trailed. Not once. From the opening tip, they controlled the tempo, dictated the pace, and built a lead that felt steady, even when the Hokies tried to make it interesting in the second half.
Virginia Tech did what any home team with pride would do - they punched back. The Hokies cut the lead to six, and the crowd at Cassell Coliseum came alive.
But every time it looked like momentum might shift, Duke responded like a team that’s been through the fire. That’s especially impressive considering how young parts of this roster still are.
That’s where Cam Boozer continues to separate himself. The freshman phenom looked anything but inexperienced.
He was the best player on the floor - calm, composed, and clinical. When Tech made its push, Boozer answered with grown-man buckets and smart, steady play that silenced the crowd and settled his team.
Boozer finished with 24 points on an ultra-efficient 9-of-12 shooting night. That marks his 13th game this season with 20 or more points - and it’s not just the numbers.
It’s how he gets them. He doesn’t force the issue.
He reads the game, picks his spots, and punishes defenses that give him an inch.
But this win wasn’t just about offense. Duke’s defense down the stretch was exactly what you want on the road in the ACC.
When the Hokies needed clean looks late, they couldn’t find them. Duke closed out hard, contested everything, and forced one-and-done possessions.
That’s the kind of defense that travels - and it’s the kind that wins in March.
Over the last four games, Duke’s been locked in. No slow starts, no letdowns, no playing down to the competition.
Just focused, wire-to-wire wins. Even when Virginia Tech made a couple of runs that could’ve flipped the script, the Blue Devils never let them get too close.
That’s the mark of a team with maturity, even if some of its key pieces are still teenagers.
Now take a step back: Duke has won 31 of its last 32 ACC games. That’s not just a hot stretch - that’s dominance. That’s a program that’s not just surviving in the post-Coach K era but thriving.
Jon Scheyer deserves a ton of credit here. Taking over for a legend like Mike Krzyzewski was never going to be easy, but Scheyer has kept the Duke standard high while also putting his own stamp on the program. In the new world of NIL and transfer portals, he’s navigated the waters with confidence and clarity - and the results speak for themselves.
This Duke team is deep, disciplined, and dangerous. And if they keep playing like this, they won’t just be a tough out in March - they’ll be a team no one wants to see.