Duke’s Evans Exposes Free-Throw Struggles

The Duke basketball program is now 16-1 overall and 5-0 in conference play after a 71-56 win over California (13-5, 1-4 ACC) on Wednesday night. Duke has established itself as a perennial national title contender through the first half of the 2025-26 college basketball season, but the team has shown some areas of the game that require improvement as the year progresses.

Perhaps the most pressing issue so far for the Blue Devils has been the free throw line.

NCAA Basketball Duke center Patrick Ngongba II | Dale Young-Imagn Images

Duke has consistently struggled at the stripe in big games throughout the season. It cost the team a win at Madison Square Garden over No. 15 Texas Tech, as the Blue Devils shot just 17-of-29 (59%) from the line, with several missed front ends of one-and-ones down the stretch. Duke lost that game 82-81.

Although it's only cost the team one game so far this season, a lack of improvement in that aspect of the game could become catastrophic come postseason time.

Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer yells in the first half as his team fell behind by 10 points in the first half. The Duke Blue Devils rallied from being down nine points at the half to beat Louisville 84-73 Tuesday night at KFC Yum Center January 6, 2026. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Duke Has Left Tons of Points on the Table

Duke currently ranks 230th nationally according to KenPom in free throw percentage at 70.8% despite sitting 12th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency. Why it hasn't become a huge area of concern is that the Blue Devils have been dominant in the free throw attempt category throughout the season compared to their opponents.

Cameron Boozer vs Cal..

21 PTS (9-16 FG, 3-5 FTs)
13 REBS
3 AST

What are the chances Duke wins the Championship this season?? pic.twitter.com/sXaN5mdeyZ
— Frankie Vision (@Frankie_Vision) January 15, 2026

The Blue Devils have attempted 428 free throws this season, which ranks second in the ACC. They've allowed opponents to shoot a total of 247 free throws, which is the least of any ACC squad. This makes Duke a whopping +181 in free throw attempts on its opponents this season.

But it's the makes that have been the issue. Despite shooting the second-most free throws in the conference, Duke has only made 303. That's still third in the ACC, but that's a total of 125 points left on the table. Duke's opponent have made 180 free throws against it so far.

ISAIAH EVANS pic.twitter.com/L3GHmzLgtU
— JMann_ (@JMannsTakes) January 15, 2026

So, despite taking 181 more total free throws than its opponents through the 2025-26 campaign, Duke has only made 123 more than its opponents.

Isaiah Evans Gives His Reasoning for Free Throw Struggles

After the win over the Golden Bears, Duke's sophomore sharpshooter pleaded his case for why the team has been struggling at the line.

"That Evolution ball, it's not my favorite," Evans said. "I wouldn't lie to you, I wouldn't make no excuses. You know, we love that Nike ball. But, you know, obviously we just got to play through it."

Isaiah Evans choosing violence after 1 am Eastern on a Thursday in January … pic.twitter.com/G91I19RCns
— Bret Strelow (@bretstrelow) January 15, 2026

Duke is a Nike-sponsored program and uses the Nike Elite ball at home games, but the Wilson EVO NXT ball is the official game ball for the NCAA Men's and Women's Championships. California uses the Wilson NXT EVO, and the Blue Devils went just 8-of-17 (47%) from the charity stripe.

Whether the Blue Devils like the Wilson ball or not, it will be the ball used throughout the entire NCAA Tournament. Duke will have to adjust and find some sort of rhythm with it in order to not let the free throw line dictate how far it can go in the big dance.

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