3 Key Players for Duke's Matchup Against Syracuse

The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball is coming off arguably its most dominant defensive performance of the season in a win over No. 20 Clemson Tigers men's basketball.

Duke held the Tigers to a season-low 54 points on 20-of-57 shooting from the field and just 6-of-24 from three-point range. Only two Clemson players scored in double figures: RJ Godfrey (10 points) and Carter Welling (12 points). The duo combined to shoot 8-of-17 from the field, and Duke’s defensive pressure forced three turnovers from Godfrey.

Offensively, Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans led the way with 18 and 17 points, respectively. Boozer had a quiet first half with just six points before erupting for 12 in the second half. He finished 7-of-14 from the field and 2-of-4 from three-point range. Evans added 17 points on 5-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc.

Freshman Cayden Boozer provided a strong spark off the bench, playing 22 minutes and scoring 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, tying a season high in field-goal percentage.

With the 67–54 victory, Duke improved to 23–2 overall and 12–1 in ACC play. The Blue Devils now host the Syracuse Orange men's basketball, who started the season strong but have since struggled, going 3–6 in their last nine games.

Three Key Blue Devils

Cameron Boozer

Since his 24-point performance on the road against North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball, Boozer hasn’t been quite as dominant offensively.

Against Pitt, he scored 17 points but attempted just nine shots — the fourth time this season he has taken fewer than 10 attempts. Versus Clemson, he managed only six first-half points before scoring 12 in the second half. While Clemson is one of the ACC’s top defensive teams, Duke needs Boozer to assert himself early and consistently.

Syracuse does not possess the same defensive strength as Clemson, making this an ideal opportunity for Boozer to deliver a complete, dominant performance.

Isaiah Evans

Evans has elevated his play over the past two games and appears to be emerging as a potential go-to option when Boozer is not at his most aggressive.

On the road against Pitt, Evans led Duke with 21 points on an efficient 8-of-10 shooting from the field and 5-of-6 from three-point range. He followed that up with 17 points against Clemson, knocking down four three-pointers. His perimeter scoring gives Duke another dimension offensively and helps space the floor.

Cayden Boozer

Coming off the bench, Boozer’s performance against Clemson could be a turning point in his season. While he has had multiple double-digit scoring games, he has also experienced stretches where he scored fewer than five points.

Duke has rotated several players into the sixth-man role this season. If Boozer can provide consistent scoring and energy off the bench, he could solidify himself as a reliable option for head coach Jon Scheyer as March approaches.

If Cameron Boozer reasserts himself as the dominant force he has been for most of the year, Isaiah Evans continues his perimeter surge, and Cayden Boozer provides stability off the bench, Duke will be well-positioned to maintain control in the ACC race.

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball news.

As always, make sure you stay up to date with all Duke content by following us on Facebook, by clicking HERE, and following us on X (formerly Twitter) HERE.