Latest Top Duke Basketball Plays Intentionally Ignore Dismal Stretch

The Duke basketball squad seeks to learn from its mistakes versus the Bisons.

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer reacts to a play against Michigan State during the first half at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After enjoying a 10-0 run out of the gates in its eventual 97-73 home win over the unranked Lipscomb Bisons (6-5, 0-0 ASUN) on Tuesday night, the No. 3-ranked Blue Devils looked like the bunch undeserving of a ranking by its name. The mistake-prone Duke basketball talents — 16 turnovers in the first half — were outscored by the Bisons, 45-36, from the 17:40 mark in the first half until freshman power forward Cameron Boozer delivered a putback bucket at the halftime buzzer.

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So, it's no wonder the program's social media team evidently didn't even bother to search that span for notable Blue Devil highlights. No, as the caption to the top five plays states, all of the moments are from either the first minute of action or last few seconds of the first half through the end of the game:

top 5 plays from the 1st minute + final 20:03 of the Lipscomb game pic.twitter.com/kAvZMyIL50

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) December 17, 2025

5. Cameron Boozer finds sophomore center Patrick Ngongba for an alley-oop dunk on the game's first possession

4. A missed free throw by sophomore shooting guard Darren Harris and Ngongba's blocked dunk attempt led to Boozer's score entering the locker room

3. Heady team defense results in freshman point guard Cayden Boozer finding Harris for an uncontested fastbreak layup

2. Ngongba produces an empathic swat on one end and gets a reward in the offensive rebound and scoring columns on the other end

1. Creating separation both on the play and on the scoreboard, Cameron Boozer spins in the paint and finishes with a smooth fadeaway floater

Dec 16, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Former Duke Blue Devils player Carlos Boozer jokes with officials befor a game against the Lipscomb Bisons at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Duke Basketball Embracing Learn-and-Grow Mentality

"It's just a bad day," Cameron Boozer said in the locker room afterward. "Everyone has a bad day every once in a while. A lot of [the turnovers] were unforced, just us throwing the ball to the other team. It's something we've got to look at, be better, and New York is a great chance to turn it around and bounce back."

Dec 16, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer gestures to an official during the second half against the Lipscomb Bisons at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils won 97-73. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

That opportunity in New York City comes in the form a SentinelOne Classic clash against the No. 19 Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-3, 0-0 Big 12) in Madison Square Garden at 8 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN). Jon Scheyer and his fourth Duke basketball team will then have a week and a half off for the holidays before tipping off its ACC slate at home against the unranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-4, 0-0 ACC) on Wednesday, Dec. 31, at 4 p.m. ET (ACC Network).

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