Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Attack Proves Too Powerful for Syracuse

The Duke basketball program extended its home winning streak to 30 games.
Matt Giles|
Feb 14, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) and guard Caleb Foster (1) react during the second half against the Clemson Tigers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images
Feb 14, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) and guard Caleb Foster (1) react during the second half against the Clemson Tigers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

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It's safe to say Duke basketball understood and executed the assignment on Monday night, as the No. 3-ranked Blue Devils (24-2, 13-1 ACC) tallied a 101-64 home victory over the unranked Syracuse Orange (15-12, 6-8 ACC). They improved to 13-0 in Cameron Indoor Stadium this season and extended their overall winning streak to three outings since the deflating 71-68 road loss at the hands of the archrival UNC Tar Heels eight days ago.

ALSO READ: Duke Home Winning Streak Nearing Historic Territory

Syracuse's elite rim protection was on full display in the early going. The Orange blocked two Blue Devil shot attempts in the paint before the first media timeout in the first half.

Duke basketball center Patrick Ngongba II versus the Syracuse Orange
Feb 14, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba II (21) shoots over Clemson Tigers forward RJ Godfrey (0) during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Even so, Duke didn't shy away from attacking the basket en route to taking an 11-9 lead into the second break, with five players having already put their names in the scoring column and without any of them having drained a three at that juncture.

Duke basketball sophomore wing Isaiah Evans heated up with six points in just over two minutes of action. And the Blue Devils built a 21-12 advantage to force a Syracuse timeout ahead of the under-8 timeout.

Not long after that, freshman wing Dame Sarr electrified the Cameron Crazies with a smooth dunk in transtion. Evans followed suit with a slam of his own in the halfcourt setting. Rookie power forward Cameron Boozer then chipped in via a splash from downtown, bumping the Blue Devils' lead to 28-17 with just over six minutes to play in the first half while making the program's 30th straight win at home begin to look inevitable.

Jon Scheyer's Blue Devils then cooled off for a bit but managed to heat up in time to secure a 40-24 halftime lead over Adrian Autry's Orange.

Cameron Boozer recorded a double-double in the first half alone, finishing the half with 12 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 5-for-7 from the field.

Duke Basketball Begins Second Half Where It Left Off

By putting together an 8-2 run across the first 90 seconds of the second half, the Blue Devils pushed their lead to 48-26. Syracuse was left without much of a choice but to call another timeout, appearing pretty much out of answers.

Duke continued to soar. At the under-12 timeout in the second half, following a pair of threes from freshman forward Nikolas Khamenia and another easy layup courtesy of Cameron Boozer, the Blue Devils enjoyed a 68-40 lead and looked well on their way to posting a lopsided final score.

With 2024-25 Duke basketball teammates Kon Knueppel, Cooper Flagg, Sion James, and Khaman Maluach in the building, five Blue Devils reached double-digit points in the contest: Cameron Boozer (22 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, 8-for-10 shooting from the field), Isaiah Evans (21 points, two rebounds, one steal, 3-for-6 from deep), sophomore center Patrick Ngongba II (12 points, seven boards, two dimes), freshman guard Cayden Boozer (12 points, three assists, two steals), and Nikolas Khamenia (14 points, two rebounds, 4-for-5 shooting from the field).

The Blue Devils will now prepare for their primetime showdown against the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines (24-1, 14-1 Big Ten). Duke and Michigan square off at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., at 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN).

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

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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