Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Survives Gator Attack to Extend Home Winning Streak

The Duke basketball squad showed some serious grit against Florida.
Matt Giles|
Dec 2, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) reacts after forcing a turnover against the Florida Gators during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images
Dec 2, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) reacts after forcing a turnover against the Florida Gators during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

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The first seven Duke basketball shots in its 67-66 ACC/SEC Challenge home win over the No. 15-ranked Florida Gators (5-3, 0-0 SEC) on Tuesday night were from 3-point land. The No. 4 Blue Devils (9-0, 0-0 ACC) knocked down three of them, and it wasn't until almost seven minutes into the contest that they attempted their first shot inside the arc.

At that point, the lead had been flipping back and forth between Duke and Florida. But not long after that, the Blue Devils focused on seeking out opportunities closer to the rim, and they seized control of the momentum behind top-shelf paint production courtesy of their overpowering frontcourt starters in freshman forward Cameron Boozer and sophomore center Patrick Ngongba.

Plus, the Blue Devils buckled down on defense as a team. They eventually slowed down the attack of Florida junior forward Thomas Haugh, who led the Gators with 13 points at the half, and Duke entered the locker room up 12 over the defending national champions at 36-24.

Boozer and Ngongba combined for two-thirds of Duke's points in the first half, as Boozer entered the break with 16 points, three rebounds, and one assist, and Ngongba had eight points, three boards, one dime, and four blocks across the first 20 minutes of action in Durham.

Momentum momentarily swung back in Florida's favor early in the second half. Duke responded. But the Gators kept it close until the end.

Before the first scheduled media timeout in the second half, the Gators forced a timeout by fourth-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer after enjoying a 9-2 run out of the break to close the gap to only five at 38-33.

Duke basketball versus the Florida Gators
Dec 2, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden reacts during the first half against the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

A few minutes later, after allowing Florida to pull within two at 40-38, the Blue Devils received a much-needed boost from sophomore guard Isaiah Evans. He hit paydirt with a crafty layup in traffic before coming up with an aggressive block on the other end of the floor.

And with 12:21 to play, "Showtime Slim" caused the Cameron Crazies to erupt with a vicious slam. Not quite 30 seconds later, the famed student section hit one of its highest decibel levels of the night when Evans delivered the following spot-on pass to Ngongba for a big-time statement in the form of an alley-oop slam:

Florida didn't bow down right away. In the end, though, the Blue Devils' clutch firepower was a bit too much for the Gators to handle.

Cameron Boozer, who confidently drained a 3-pointer with just over two minutes to play to give Duke a 62-59 lead, wound up with a game-high 29 points to go along with his six rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Ngongba chipped in 11 points, five boards, and five assists.

And the hero of the final minute, Evans, who nailed the go-ahead three with 21 ticks left on the clock despite missing his first seven attempts of the night from long distance, was the third Blue Devil to reach double-digit points, finishing with 13 points, one rebound, one assist, and a career-high five blocks.

As a team, Duke shot only 7-for-26 from three. Again, though, thanks to Isaiah Evans and Cameron Boozer, the Blue Devils knocked down the ones that mattered most.

Duke, which went undefeated at home last season, has now won 22 straight in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Scheyer's Blue Devils will now prepare for their third straight game against a ranked opponent, as Duke squares off against the No. 7 Michigan State Spartans in East Lansing, Mich., at noon ET Saturday (FOX). That battle will serve as the 2025-26 Duke basketball team's first true road test versus a high-major program.

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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