Duke Hands Syracuse Its Worst Loss of the Season in Cameron Indoor Beatdown
In a game that had the potential to shift Syracuse’s postseason trajectory, the Orange instead ran into a buzzsaw in Durham. Duke, dominant at home and ranked No. 2 in the nation, flexed its muscle Monday night with a 101-64 blowout win that left little doubt about where the two programs currently stand.
For Syracuse, the loss wasn’t just another mark in the “L” column-it was the most lopsided defeat of the Adrian Autry era. And it came at a time when the Orange were clinging to the faintest glimmer of NCAA Tournament hope, having recently strung together wins over Cal and SMU. But against a Duke team that hasn’t lost at Cameron Indoor since the 2023-24 season, Syracuse was outgunned, outmuscled, and ultimately overwhelmed.
Let’s break down what went wrong-and where Duke simply took over.
A Promising Start That Quickly Fizzled
For a brief moment, Syracuse looked ready to compete. A pair of energetic blocks by William Kyle III jumpstarted the Orange early, leading to a dunk by Nate Kingz and a jumper from Donnie Freeman that gave SU a 9-7 edge just over five minutes in. But that early momentum didn’t last.
What followed was a seven-minute stretch where Syracuse managed just three points, shooting 1-of-10 from the field. The offense stalled, the ball stopped moving, and Duke seized control.
By the time Kyle scored again off a steal, the Blue Devils had built a 23-14 lead. And while Syracuse managed to cut the deficit to five behind a mini-run from George, Kingz, and Kyle, Duke quickly slammed the door shut.
That "kill shot" came in the form of an 11-0 Blue Devil run to end the half. Cameron Boozer-already projected as a top-three NBA Draft pick-added four points and set up his twin brother Cayden for a triple.
Then, Cayden stripped Freeman and triggered a fast break that ended with a highlight-reel alley-oop to Isaiah Evans. Just like that, Duke was up 40-24 at the break.
It was Syracuse’s lowest-scoring half of the season.
Rebounding Woes and Second-Chance Pain
If there was one area that summed up Syracuse’s struggles, it was the rebounding battle. Duke didn’t just win it-they dominated it, especially on the offensive glass.
Early on, the Blue Devils set the tone. Patrick Ngongba grabbed an offensive board that led to a second-chance layup by Dame Sarr.
Moments later, Caleb Foster beat Kingz to a long rebound, resulting in another easy two for Ngongba. Duke had 10 second-chance points in the first eight minutes alone, despite shooting just 5-of-14 from the field.
That trend continued all night. Boozer cleaned up the glass with authority, finishing with 12 boards-four of them offensive-to go along with his 22 points.
When Duke missed, it often didn’t matter. They just got another shot.
The opening possession of the second half was a microcosm of the game: Ngongba missed a contested layup, grabbed his own rebound, and scored anyway. Duke would go on to win the rebounding battle 39-29 and held a 22-14 edge in second-chance points. That’s the kind of disparity that breaks a team’s spirit.
Syracuse’s 3-Point Gamble Backfires
Coming into the game, Syracuse ranked 218th nationally in 3-point shooting percentage at 33.3%. That didn’t stop them from letting it fly.
The Orange hoisted 27 threes, connecting on 10 of them. But volume didn’t equal efficiency-especially when compared to Duke’s sharpshooting. The Blue Devils hit 12-of-20 from deep, including three triples apiece from Evans and Nikolas Khamenia.
In the first half, Syracuse actually outscored Duke from beyond the arc (4-3), but that stat was misleading. SU went just 4-of-16, while Duke focused on punishing the Orange inside.
Then came the second-half barrage. Duke hit two threes in the first 90 seconds, part of an 8-2 run that forced Autry to call timeout.
Syracuse didn’t hit a three in the second half until J.J. Starling beat the shot clock with one at the 14:56 mark.
By then, the deficit had ballooned to 19. Kiyan Anthony added a pair of threes late, but the game was long out of reach.
William Kyle III Brings Energy, But Not Enough Help
On a night when little went right, William Kyle III continued to be a bright spot. He brought energy on both ends, finishing with 12 points, two blocks, and two steals.
His early sequence-two blocks leading to a dunk-was the kind of hustle play that coaches love. But he couldn’t do it alone.
Donnie Freeman, Syracuse’s leading scorer, was limited to just 21 minutes due to foul trouble and managed only nine points. Even when he was on the floor, he struggled to find a rhythm.
Starling, the team’s senior captain, had a rough night-3-of-13 from the field for nine points. Naithan George, who showed flashes early, took only four shots all game. Kingz, who’s been one of SU’s most consistent players in ACC play, got just nine shot attempts and finished with 10 points.
And the bench didn’t provide much relief. Tyler Betsey, Sadiq White Jr., and Anthony combined for 14 points, with Anthony’s two threes coming in garbage time.
Defensive Collapse Caps Off Forgettable Night
Giving up 101 points in regulation is never a good sign. For Syracuse, it was the highest total allowed in a non-overtime game this season-and a clear indicator of how thoroughly they were outmatched.
Duke didn’t just shoot the ball well; they got what they wanted whenever they wanted it. They attacked the paint, dominated the glass, and hit from deep with surgical precision. Boozer and Evans combined for 43 points, and five Blue Devils scored in double figures.
For Syracuse, the loss drops them to 15-12 overall and 6-8 in ACC play. Any talk of a tournament run now feels like a long shot, especially with a Quad 1 record that now sits at 1-7.
Final Thoughts
This was more than just a bad night-it was a reality check. Syracuse came into Cameron Indoor hoping to make a statement. Instead, Duke made one for them.
The Blue Devils looked every bit like a Final Four contender. The Orange, meanwhile, looked like a team still searching for consistency, identity, and answers. With just a handful of games left in the regular season, time is running out.
If Syracuse wants to salvage anything from this campaign, it’ll need more than just flashes from Kyle or occasional bursts from Kingz. It’ll take a collective step forward-on both ends of the floor. Because against teams like Duke, anything less just isn’t enough.