In a showdown that was anticipated to be a nail-biter, No. 1 Duke decisively outplayed No.
11 Virginia, showcasing their dominance in the ACC. The Blue Devils turned what was expected to be a thrilling contest into a statement game, cruising to a 77-51 victory at the iconic Cameron Indoor Stadium.
From the get-go, Duke was in control, building a commanding 15-point lead by halftime. This win not only clinched a share of the ACC regular-season title for Jon Scheyer's squad but also secured them the No. 1 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament. With just one more victory-or a Virginia loss-Duke can claim the outright title.
Virginia entered the matchup riding a nine-game winning streak, but they were no match for a Duke team firing on all cylinders. Isaiah Evans set the tone early, sparking Duke's offense with a barrage of three-pointers. By halftime, the Blue Devils had drained eight shots from beyond the arc, leading 41-26.
While the three-point barrage slowed in the second half, Duke's defense took center stage. They smothered Virginia, holding them to a paltry 29% shooting from the field and a mere 20% from three-point range. Considering Virginia's top-25 offensive efficiency ranking, this defensive performance was nothing short of spectacular.
This game marked season lows for Virginia in both points and shooting percentage-a testament to Duke's defensive prowess. It was the first time this season that Ryan Odom's squad failed to score at least 60 points.
Even without a standout performance from National Player of the Year frontrunner Cameron Boozer, who managed 18 points largely from the charity stripe, Duke excelled. Evans led the charge with 19 points, including five three-pointers, setting the tone with Duke's first nine points. Patrick Ngongba II contributed 11 points to the effort.
With this victory, Duke improved to 27-2 overall and 15-1 in the ACC. They have two games left in the regular season, facing NC State on the road before hosting North Carolina in a much-anticipated finale back in Durham. The Blue Devils are proving they're the team to beat, and the rest of the ACC is officially on notice.