Duke’s Silent Assassin Comes Up Big Against Virginia Tech

Duke's veteran forward was gold for the Blue Devils.

Jan 31, 2026; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Maliq Brown (6) dunks the ball against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the first half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

The No. 4-ranked Duke Blue Devils improved to 20-1 overall and 9-0 in conference play after a 72-58 victory over Virginia Tech (16-7, 5-5 ACC) on Saturday. The Hokies entered the contest 12-1 at home on the 2025-26 campaign and gave the Blue Devils a bit of a scare in the second half.

Duke has now won six of its last seven games by double figures and continues to have minimal issues in league play.

Jan 31, 2026; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) works against Virginia Tech Hokies forward Tobi Lawal (1) during the first half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Freshman sensation Cameron Boozer further cemented his case to take home the National Player of the Year award, going for a game-high 24 points to go along with eight rebounds and five assists on 9-of-12 (75%) shooting from the field and 2-of-3 (66.7%) shooting from three-point range.

The Blue Devils put on a defensive clinic against a Hokies team with the potential to get hot offensively, limiting them to 42% shooting from the floor as a team and 7-of-26 (27%) shooting from beyond the arc.

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

Jon Scheyer has gotten more and more contributions from his bench as time has gone on, but one veteran who rarely gets the attention he deserves came up big in the victory. It took a stellar defensive effort down the stretch in the second half to hold off the Hokies, and this senior was at the forefront of it.

Jan 31, 2026; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Maliq Brown (6) shoots a shot during the first half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Maliq Brown Puts On a Show Against Virginia Tech

Duke senior forward Maliq Brown will seldom make eyes pop in the stat sheet, but he's the definition of a player who makes winning plays. Brown might have the best hands in college basketball and very well could be the best defender the nation has to offer.

Against Virginia Tech, Brown put together one of his best outings in a Blue Devil uniform. The 6' 9" forward tallied 11 points on 5-of-10 (50%) shooting from the field and 1-of-4 (25%) shooting from the perimeter. This ties his career high with Duke and marks the first time he has taken double-digit shots in a game for the Blue Devils.

Jan 26, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Maliq Brown (6) looks to pass as Louisville Cardinals center Aly Khalifa (15) defends during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Most of the time, Brown's contributions won't show up in the stat sheet. He's averaging just 5.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game on the season, but he makes the little plays that win games.

Deflections, rebounds, and the ability to switch onto every position on the floor defensively. Those aspects of Brown's game make him one of the most valuable players Scheyer has at his disposal.

Jan 17, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer looks on against the Stanford Cardinal in the first half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

What’s Next for the Blue Devils?

Next up, Duke will take on Boston College (9-12, 2-6 ACC) at home on Feb. 3.

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