Why Duke’s Win Over Clemson Was Crucial

The Blue Devils needed to take care of business at home on Saturday.

Feb 14, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer (right) directs his team during the second half against the Clemson Tigers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

The No. 4-ranked Duke Blue Devils improved to 23-2 overall and 12-1 in ACC play following a 67-54 victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium over No. 20 Clemson (20-6, 10-3 ACC) on Saturday. Duke has now widened its lead at the top of the conference standings with the regular season beginning to wind down.

It was a battle between the top two defenses in the ACC, and it was an ugly game to start. The Blue Devils entered the halftime locker room with a 31-26 lead, struggling to get anything going consistently inside the paint, where the Blue Devils thrive.

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Duke was able to open up the contest in the second half, increasing its lead to as many as 22 points. The Blue Devils finished the bout against the Tigers shooting 43% from the field as a team and 10-of-29 (34%) from three-point range.

The Blue Devils put together a stellar defensive showing at home, which allowed them to really open up the game across the second frame. Duke held Clemson to 35% shooting from the field and 6-of-24 (25%) shooting from beyond the arc. The Tigers' 54 points marked their lowest point total of the season so far and the first time they have been held to under 60 points collectively.

Feb 14, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) drives to the basket as Clemson Tigers forward Carter Welling (22) defends during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Freshman sensation Cameron Boozer led the way once again for the Blue Devils, tallying a game-high 18 points to go along with eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block on 7-of-14 (50%) shooting from the field and 2-of-4 (50%) shooting from three. Boozer has gone for at least 17 points in every league game thus far.

Duke has now won nine of its 13 league games by double digits, and it's looking increasingly difficult to see any other squad run the conference besides the Blue Devils. Outside of a buzzer-beating three by Seth Trimble to hand No. 11 North Carolina (20-5, 8-4 ACC) a win over Duke, Jon Scheyer's club has dealt with minimal issues through ACC action.

Jan 31, 2026; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer watches his team against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the second half against Virginia Tech Hokies at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Why a Win Over Clemson Was Important

Duke earned its eighth victory over a ranked opponent this season, more than any other team in college basketball. Despite the Tigers coming in at No. 20 in the nation, this was actually a Quadrant 2 game for the Blue Devils.

Losses outside of Quadrant 1 can cause problems for any team's case for a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Although the NCAA NET Rankings are constantly shifting, and this game could turn into a Quad 1 game for Duke later, it would've counted as a Quad 2 loss as the NET currently stands.

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