Duke Basketball Bounces Back From Another Slow Start

Duke basketball still hasn't suffered a defeat at the hands of the Demon Deacons in Durham since 1997.

Jan 24, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer directs his team during the first half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

The Duke basketball squad picked up a 90-69 victory over the visiting Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

ALSO READ: Backstage Blue Devil Footage Reveals 'Immaculate Vibes'

As has often been the case this season, it took the No. 5-ranked Blue Devils (18-1, 7-0 ACC) a while to heat up. In fact, Duke didn't hold a lead over Steve Forbes' unranked Demon Deacons (11-9, 2-5 ACC) until just under seven minutes remaining on the clock before halftime, as the home squad missed its first nine 3-point attempts of the contest and saw Wake Forest knock down several tough shots in the early going.

But once again, Jon Scheyer's fourth Duke basketball team never appeared flustered when trailing.

it started with defense 🔒 pic.twitter.com/3PLIY1b0UH

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) January 24, 2026

Not only did the Blue Devils find their rhythm from deep late in the first half, but they also strung together multiple stops on the defensive end, enjoying a 13-0 run en route to taking a commanding 37-25 lead at the under-4 timeout before the break.

They entered the locker room with a 42-31 advantage, as the Duke starting frontcourt of freshman power forward Cameron Boozer and sophomore center Patrick Ngongba II combined for 19 points, six rebounds, and six assists across the first 20 minutes of action.

problems with doubling Cam Boozer ⬇️

1⃣ one of the elite passers in the country

2⃣ willing passer / winning player pic.twitter.com/9icaxLoMSG

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) January 24, 2026

Duke Basketball Overpowers Wake Across Final 20 Minutes

A 14-9 Blue Devil advantage across the first five minutes out of the break helped ensure the Demon Deacons never cut the deficit to single digits in the second half.

Cameron Boozer finished with a game-high 32 points, marking his second consecutive 30-point outing and fourth this season. The 18-year-old frontrunner for ACC Player of the Year added nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals in 33 minutes on the floor.

Jan 24, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) controls the ball in front of Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Mekhi Mason (8) during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Two more Blue Devils posted double-digit points: Patrick Ngongba II (13 points, seven rebounds, two assists) and sophomore wing Isaiah Evans (11 points, two rebounds, two steals).

Duke recorded its 26th straight home win — now 27 in a row versus Wake Forest in Durham — and the program improved to 57-3 (95.0 winning percentage) in home games across the four seasons with Scheyer at the helm.

Jan 24, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Dame Sarr (7) consults with head coach Jon Scheyer (right) during the first half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Next up for the Blue Devils, sitting alone atop the ACC standings and looking to extend its overall winning streak to nine games, is a home bout against the No. 23 Louisville Cardinals (13-5, 3-3 ACC) at 7 p.m. ET Monday (ESPN).

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