Key Stat Duke Wants to Excel at All Season

The Duke Blue Devils have come out firing on all cylinders to start their season. That is a great thing to see from this team. They are playing with confidence and they want to get better each time they are out there on the court.

This is a young Duke team that is playing with good upperclassmen. At times, we see teams struggle with this in the chemistry department. That has not been a problem for Duke. And they are going to continue getting better because the chemistry is going to get better.

Something we have seen early on this season is that they are making the right adjustments from game to game. That is important for this team as they develop into a team that wants to be unstoppable in the second half of the season.

That is going to be key for this team if they want to be the last team standing at the end of the season. We are seeing all the right things, and it is going to be fun to watch this team grow the rest of the season. Head coach Jon Scheyer is looking at all the details, especially the small ones, because he knows those are the most important ones.

Nov 11, 2025; West Point, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer speaks with CBS after a 114-59 win against the Army Black Knights at Christl Arena. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

One thing that Duke is looking to do well all season is make shots at the free-throw line. They want to be a great team in that department, and the more they get to the line, the means they are not always settling for the three-ball.

Duke Taking Care of Business

"Currently, the Blue Devils average a staggering 30.7 foul shots per game," said Alex Min of The Chronicle. "Even in its two exhibition matchups against UCF and Tennessee, the team managed 36 and 27 attempts from the line, respectively. Cameron Boozer has played a significant part in this trend, as the freshman takes 7.7 free throws per contest— only 1.1 less than Gilgeous-Alexander’s mark last season."

Nov 11, 2025; West Point, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) walks to the bench during the first half against the Army Black Knights at Christl Arena. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

"The Miami native may not possess the otherworldly athleticism of Flagg or the shot-making finesse of Kon Knueppel, but his pro-ready frame allows Boozer to bulldoze through the painted area and right to the cup."

"His teammates have followed suit. Cayden Boozer, Isaiah Evans and Dame Sarr all hold a per-game average of five free throws despite taking a near majority of their shots from behind the arc. When Duke drives to the rim, its players seek out contact, unafraid of ending up on the floor."

"And even when the 3-pointers rain down like they did in West Point, N.Y., Scheyer’s team does not quit earning higher-percentage looks at the line."

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