Duke Battles Illness To Take Down Virginia Tech

On today's episode of the Duke Blue Devils Insider Podcast, we broke down Duke's road victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon.

Louisville Cardinals guard Kobe Rodgers (11) and Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) battled for control in the second half as the Blue Devils rallied to beat the Cards 84-73 Tuesday night at KFC Yum Center January 6, 2026. Duke shot 70 percent in field goals in the second half after only 36 percent in the first. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 4-ranked Duke basketball program improved to 20-1 overall on the 2025-26 campaign and 9-0 in league play following a 72-58 victory over Virginia Tech (16-7, 5-5 ACC) on the road this past Saturday. The Blue Devils outscored the Hokies 10-2 across the final six minutes to pull away.

Duke entered a tough road environment against a Virginia Tech team that entered Saturday's game 12-1 at home on the season. This is the Blue Devils' ninth straight win and ninth Quadrant 1 victory.

Watch Today's Episode Below

The Blue Devils were battling illness heading into the matchup, as guard Caleb Foster and wing Dame Sarr were both reported to be dealing with a sickness the day before the game. Both players suited up for Jon Scheyer, but Foster came off the bench for the first time this season.

Even with the illness, Foster was still extremely impactful in the victory for Duke. The junior went for seven points, a career-high seven rebounds, and four assists on 3-of-7 (42.9%) shooting from the field. Sarr tallied a rebound in eight minutes.

Jan 24, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) drives to the basket as Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Myles Colvin (6) defends during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

As a whole, Duke shot 53% from the field and scored 72 points despite shooting the three-point shot at just a 5-of-21 (24%) clip. The Blue Devils were once again dominant in the paint, outscoring Virginia Tech in that category 46-24.

Duke also snagged 12 offensive rebounds and limited the Hokies to just six total free throw attempts.

Jan 26, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer directs his team during the first half against the Louisville Cardinals at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils have yet to face a true challenge in league play thus far. The blue blood program has now won six of its last seven games by double-digit points and three of its last four by over 20 points.

In a vastly improved ACC from a depth standpoint compared to a season ago, the Blue Devils are bound to get tripped up eventually, but it looks like Duke will run the ACC once again.

our guy Cayden on the rise 📈📈 pic.twitter.com/TCnxncCUra

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) February 1, 2026

Duke went 19-1 in league play in 2024-25, granted it was a weak ACC that only got four teams into the NCAA Tournament. Despite the conference looking much stronger this time around, Duke has looked like the clear top team.

Jan 24, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) controls the ball as Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Sebastian Akins (10) defends during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Duke Remains Second in NET Rankings

The Blue Devils are now 9-1 in Quadrant 1, 13-1 across the first two quadrants, and 7-0 in true road games. Only No. 1 Arizona, which is 22-0, boasts nine victories in Quadrant 1.

Duke continues to cement its case for a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament, owning one of the best resumes in the sport.

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

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