Duke Escapes Pitt, Turns Attention to Clemson’s Key Playmakers

While the final score suggests a comfortable win, Duke’s 70–54 victory over Pitt does not fully reflect how the game unfolded. The Blue Devils were unable to deliver the dagger until the final three minutes, when they finally pulled away.

Duke opened the game sluggishly, allowing Pitt to capitalize on an early 7–0 run that forced head coach Jon Scheyer to call an early timeout. The Blue Devils responded with a run of their own and climbed back into the game, but they were unable to fully take control. At halftime, Duke held a narrow 35–29 lead.

Feb 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) shoots a free throw against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half at Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The second half featured improved play from Duke on both ends of the floor, but Pitt continued to hang around with a brief run of its own to stay within striking distance. It wasn’t until the final three minutes that Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster knocked down key shots to put the game away.

Sophomore Isaiah Evans led the way for the Blue Devils with a bounce-back performance after struggling against North Carolina. Evans finished with a team-high 21 points on an efficient 8-of-10 shooting from the field, including an impressive 5-of-6 from three-point range.

Cameron Boozer had a relatively quiet night by his standards, recording 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting while pulling down 10 rebounds. Caleb Foster also turned in a strong performance, scoring 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds.

Now, Duke turns its attention to 20th-ranked Clemson, which sits just behind the Blue Devils in the ACC standings and will be looking to move ahead in the conference race. To come away with a win, Duke will need to be prepared for three Tigers in particular.

RJ Godfrey

Godfrey has taken a significant step forward this season after transferring from Georgia. He is effective in the paint and dangerous when attacking the basket. This year, Godfrey leads Clemson in scoring, averaging 11.6 points per game on 65 percent shooting from the field, along with five rebounds.

Godfrey did not have the impact Clemson would have liked in its recent loss to Virginia Tech. Against the Hokies, he finished with just six points on 3-of-7 shooting, along with five rebounds and two assists. Expect him to make it a priority to bounce back against Duke.

Carter Welling

Welling transferred to Clemson from Utah Valley and, while not posting the same numbers as in his previous stop, has established himself as a reliable secondary scorer. He is averaging 10 points per game on 49 percent shooting and has also been effective defensively, averaging one steal per contest.

In the loss to Virginia Tech, Welling had a season-high 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 from the free-throw line. He also recorded a season-high three blocks along with a steal, showcasing his two-way impact.

Nick Davidson

Davidson was a reliable scorer at Nevada before transferring to Clemson, where he averaged 16 points per game. This season with the Tigers, he is averaging 9.6 points per game while shooting 53 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range.

His perimeter shooting is something Duke will need to be mindful of, particularly as three-point defense has been an area of concern for the Blue Devils at times this season.

If Duke can limit Godfrey’s interior production, contain Welling’s versatility, and stay attached to Davidson on the perimeter, the Blue Devils will be well positioned to protect their standing near the top of the ACC.

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