3 Positive Takeaways From Duke's Statement Win Over Kansas

It was blue blood on blue blood crime at Madison Square Garden, where No. 5 Duke took down No. 24 Kansas, 78-66, to improve to 5-0 on the season.

The Blue Devils battled back-and-forth with the Jayhawks, but Jon Scheyer's team managed to pull away with some stifling defense down the stretch and 26 trips to the free throw line.

Nov 14, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer (right) talks to guard Cayden Boozer (2) during the first half against the Indiana State Sycamores at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Cameron Boozer was the star of the show once again, dropping 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. It was his third double-double in five games this season. Boozer's passing ability has been an unsung hero so far, spacing out the floor and creating easy opportunities for his teammates.

Nov 18, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) slaps hands with d7#2 after a basket against the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Duke has been rock solid defensively this season. Kansas presented a step up in competition that the Blue Devils had issues with initially, but the adjustments from Scheyer got Duke back in front and quickly shut down the Jayhawks. Dame Sarr might be the best defender Duke has with his ability to run the perimeter and be physical against drives and in the mid-range.

The Blue Devils have a pair of tune-up games on deck before a treacherous three-game stretch that begins against No. 21 Arkansas on Thanksgiving Day. Here are three takeaways from Duke's win over Kansas.

Duke's Offense Starting to Gain Steam

Nov 18, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) shoots the ball as Kansas Jayhawks forward Flory Bidunga (40) defends during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Scheyer has always emphasized being a defensively sound team that can force bad shots and be feared down low. The Blue Devils have accomplished that much, but the offense has lagged at times.

On Tuesday, the Blue Devils seemed to find a new level of success offensively that could be closing that gap. Duke spread the ball around, with five players scoring seven points or more against the Jayhawks. The Blue Devils had 17 assists on their 27 made shots.

Additionally, Duke shot 47% from the field against Kansas, which is a very good sign. Boozer is the top option for the offense, but Isaiah Evans has started to find his shot from range. He rattled home three 3-pointers and posted 16 points.

Nov 4, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) shoots a free throw against the Texas Longhorns during the first half of the Dick Vitale’s Invitational game at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

There is still room for Duke to grow on offense, including some more aggressive guard play in the lane, but Duke has always been a defense-first team. If Scheyer can get the team to shoot more efficiently from three-point range, this can be a nearly impossible team to defend.

Good Problems at Point Guard

Nov 18, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) is guarded by Kansas Jayhawks guard Jayden Dawson (1) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

This has been a point of contention for the Blue Devils for some time. Caleb Foster is an excellent glue piece for the locker room and one of the best perimeter defenders Scheyer can deploy. The shot and aggressiveness offensively just haven't always been there.

However, Foster is off to a great start this season, averaging 8.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Foster is one of the best passers on the team, which has helped him overcome his shortcomings as a scorer and open new scoring opportunities elsewhere. Still, he is shooting 47.1% from the field through five games.

Nov 18, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) dribbles as Kansas Jayhawks guard Jayden Dawson (1) defends during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Foster played nearly identical minutes to Cayden Boozer, who came off the bench and played alongside Foster to close out the win. Boozer collected seven points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal against Kansas.

The freshman and the junior guards have battled for the starting spot for a while now, and while both are playing well, one could wonder if it's worth seeing what the other Boozer twin could do in the starting lineup against either Niagara or Howard. He's a phenomenal passer as well and more aggressive offensively.

Nov 18, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) goes to the basket as Kansas Jayhawks guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) defends during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

This could be unnecessarily rocking the boat, but Boozer might provide the lineup more flexibility offensively. Nothing needs to change right now, but it's something to watch at the very least.

Patrick Ngongba II Might Be Duke's Most Improved

Nov 18, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21) is guarded by Kansas Jayhawks guard Tre White (3) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Ngongba was just a defensive piece off the bench last season. However, he's rounding into a complete package, averaging 11.6 points, seven rebounds, 2.4 assists and one block per game.

The 6-foot-11 big man is Duke's only true center getting minutes right now, so those minutes could increase as the competition gets better. Ngongba ran into foul trouble against Kansas, but still posted 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one steal in the win.

Nov 18, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21) slaps hand with head coach Jon Scheyer after fouling out of the game during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Duke has used Ngongba in the reverse pick-and-roll often this season, with the center acting as the ball handler. He's been important in setting screens to clear space underneath and, perhaps most importantly, has great touch when shooting close to the basket. He's been able to knock down some shots and expand from just under the rim, which is a positive.

Ngongba's pairing with Boozer and Maliq Brown at the forward spots has created a menacing defensive trio. Ngongba will play a lot of minutes this season, so burnout is a concern, but he's a totally different player than he was a year ago.

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