The first live look at Duke’s 2026-27 roster did plenty to back up the preseason buzz.
On Thursday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Blue Devils rolled past Belmont 102-62 in a scrimmage that showed exactly why Jon Scheyer’s group has been talked about as a national title threat. The defense already looks nasty.
The depth is obvious. And the offense has scoring popping up all over the floor.
Sophomore Dame Sarr and freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje led the way with 19 points apiece, but the bigger takeaway was how many different Blue Devils made an impact. Duke shot 53.1% from the field, assisted on 16 of its 34 made baskets, and got a bucket from 10 different players.
Seven players hit a three, too. Caleb Foster was out with an ankle injury, and Drew Scharnowski missed the game with a knee injury.
What jumped off the page most was the way Duke squeezed Belmont once the Bruins tried to run offense in the half court. The Blue Devils’ length and activity made life miserable, and Belmont shot just 34.5% overall and 7-of-30 from beyond the arc.
Duke also won the paint 44-20, controlled the glass 46-28, and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds to Belmont’s 11. The Bruins turned it over 17 times, and those mistakes became 20 Duke points.
The Blue Devils weren’t spotless. They gave it away 16 times themselves, and there were stretches with sloppy execution on both ends. But for a first game against another opponent, the message was clear: Duke looked the part.
Afterward, Boumtje Boumtje said the matchup gave the team a better sense of what it needs to sharpen.
"I think just what we need to do as a team to win," Boumtje Boumtje said. "Like, obviously playing against each other, you can kind of figure things out, but it's hard when you're playing against each other because everybody's good and everybody's going to win. And the other teams that we play are great, but I think we're one of the best teams in the country, so just keep pushing through that and that'll show us what we really need to work on to get to a championship."
Sarr, meanwhile, looked like more than just the defensive stopper and perimeter threat many expected. He attacked the rim, battled on the boards, and showed a more complete offensive game than the 3-and-D label suggests.
Boumtje Boumtje’s debut also gave Duke plenty to be excited about. The 17-year-old looked calm from the start and finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. That kind of all-around line will only add to the noise around him as the season goes on.
Duke still has work ahead, but the opening showing confirmed the preseason belief around this team. The Blue Devils next face Tennessee in an exhibition game on Oct. 20.
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