Duke Secures Tough Road Win Despite Defensive Blemishes

Isaiah Evans caught fire in Tallahassee, erupting for a career-best 28 points and drilling six shots from beyond the arc as the Blue Devils edged out a 91–87 thriller. The victory pushed Duke to 2–0 in conference play with three of the next four contests coming away from home.

(photo courtesy of Duke Athletics)

Freshman standout Cameron Boozer led the way with nine assists while adding 17 points, five rebounds, and four steals. The Seminoles went blow for blow with Duke throughout the second half and showed strong resilience on their home floor, but Jon Scheyer’s battle-tested Blue Devils stayed composed down the stretch to secure the win and improve to 2–0 in conference play.

(photo courtesy of Fayetteville Observer)

The floor general Caleb Foster hit a left arch three in transition which helped create separation late and lift the Blue Devils to victory. Foster finished with 11 points.

One positive takeaway for the Blue Devils was their efficiency at the free-throw line, where they connected on 23 of 25 attempts. Free-throw shooting had been an area of concern in Duke’s recent loss to the Red Raiders, a game in which the Blue Devils surrendered a 17-point second-half lead. Additionally, opponents have made a concerted effort to spread Duke’s defense through pick-and-roll action, at times forcing Cam Boozer and Maliq Brown to switch onto quicker, more elusive guards attacking the paint.

A key defensive counter has been Jon Scheyer going zone at key moments ( Michigan State, Arkansas, Kansas) which keeps his bigs out of foul trouble, and allows the wings (Sarr, Khamenia) to use their athleticism to force key turnovers.

Next up for the Blue Devils is a trip to the KFC Yum Center as they face Louisville in a rematch of last years ACC Championship contest.