Duke Basketball Bigs Fuel Streak-Extending Blowout Win Over Catamounts

Entering the No. 6-ranked Duke basketball team's bout against the visiting Western Carolina Catamounts on Saturday afternoon, no group of Blue Devils had lost a home opener since the 1982-83 squad.

And by responding to an early 4-0 deficit with a determined 25-2 run in the friendly confines of Cameron Indoor Stadium, Jon Scheyer's fourth team in Durham left no doubt that the program's streak would extend to 44 years and counting.

tough finish by Cam pic.twitter.com/L42YEJpf3e
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) November 8, 2025

The Blue Devils prevailed in overpowering fashion over the undersized Catamounts, 95-54. Scheyer's talent-rich collection improved to 2-0 overall after beginning their 2025-26 regular season campaign with a 75-60 win over the Texas Longhorns in Charlotte on Tuesday night.

Despite shooting only 3-for-17 beyond the arc in the first half, Duke entered the locker room with a 45-21 lead behind freshman forward sensation Cameron Boozer's 14 points, six rebounds, and three assists across the lopsided contest's first 20 minutes of action, in which the Blue Devils enjoyed points from all nine players in their primary rotation.

*up 13 early + still first to the floor 👌👌👌 pic.twitter.com/BayiAyAdHP
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) November 8, 2025

A 35-20 advantage across the first 12 minutes of the second half stretched Duke's overall lead to almost 40 points, ultimately allowing Scheyer to begin emptying the bench with just under four minutes to play.

With Blue Devil legend Carlos Boozer once again sitting courtside, the centerpiece Boozer twin finished with yet another impressive box score in his young Duke basketball career, as the former five-star prep recorded 25 points, eight boards, five dimes, and one block in 23 minutes on the floor.

The other Boozer brother, Cayden, tallied a career-high 14 points, along with seven rebounds, five assists, and one steal in his team-high 27 minutes off the bench.

Patrick Ngongba Goes for 10 Once Again

Sophomore center Patrick Ngongba II was the only other Blue Devil to reach double figures in the scoring column before the under-8 timeout in the second half.

Oct 3, 2025; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba II (21) shoots a free throw during the Countdown to Craziness at the Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

In addition to grabbing seven rebounds, he ended up with 10 points, matching his scoring output in the win over Texas, only two points shy of the career-high 12 points he contributed in an ACC Tournament victory over the archrival UNC Tar Heels as a freshman back in early March.

Ngongba shot 4-for-6 from the field and 2-for-2 at the charity stripe, committing only one foul after fouling out of the season opener.

BIG PAT 🔨🔨 pic.twitter.com/v2aeiIwgiU
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) November 8, 2025

Senior forward Maliq Brown eventually joined the Boozer twins and Ngongba as a double-digit scorer. Only recently returning from a knee injury, Brown wound up with 10 points, four rebounds, one assist, and one block in his 17 minutes off the bench.

Duke basketball will now prepare for its first true road test of the regular season. The Blue Devils travel to West Point, N.Y., for a Veterans Day showdown against the Army Black Knights, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. ET Tuesday (CBS Sports).

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