Takeaways from Syracuse's 101-64 blowout defeat at Duke

Well, so much for a two-game Syracuse winning streak, and any (hopeful) thought that Duke would suffer a letdown against Syracuse.

The in-between contest for the No. 3 ranked Blue Devils after handling now unranked Clemson in workmanlike fashion last Saturday, and preparing for No. 1 ranked Michigan this Saturday in Washington D.C., was an impressive effort of by a Duke team that looks like it will repeat last year's deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

It did not take long Monday night in front of the usual fervent Cameron Indoor Stadium crowd of 9.431 for Duke (13-1, 24-2) to clearly show the gap between a program consistently contending for a national title, and a program in Syracuse (15-12, 6-8) that is longing for the days when it could pronounce the same.

Syracuse simply can not matchup with ACC bigwigs Duke, North Carolina, and Virginia

Yes, the Orange do get another crack at the Tar Heels Saturday in the Dome (1:00 p.m. ET / ABC) minus their freshman phenom Caleb Wilson, out with a broken hand, but remember UNC led SU by 32 points at one point in the second half of their game in Chapel Hill just over two weeks ago before holding on to win by 10 points.

Now the 'Cuse comes off a game in which it surrendered 61 points in the second half to the Blue Devils, and the season-low 59 points the Orange scored in the 72-59 defeat at Virginia Feb. 7, was not surpassed in this game until a late spurt in the final 1:20 of play.

Think about it: Syracuse almost gave up more points in the second half to Duke, then it scored in the entire game, and Duke's total was more points than the Orange scored against Virginia, The correlation is too much height, too much strength, and too many physical players wearing SU down.

"Those are the more phsyical teams, the big guys are really big and physical," Autry said when asked about the talent difference of three of the four league teams to be ranked in the Top 25 this week (Louisville is the other). "Talk about their front lines, all those guys can step out and pass, but I think the physicality is the biggest difference."

Duke outrebounded Syracuse 39-29 Monday night, and scored just over half of its points (52) in the paint.

Cameron Boozer dazzled and left the Orange coaches and players acknowledging his talent

With one-year Duke stars and NBA rookies Cooper Flagg (Dallas) and Kon Knueppel (Charlotte) in attendance Monday evening rooting on their program, they were also witnessing the current Blue Devil player who will join them in the NBA next season as a high first-round draft selection.

Cameron Boozer sat out 15 minutes of the blowout win, yet finished with a game-high 22-points and 12 rebounds, a double-double at halftime, and one of his two assists was a beautiful corner pass to his twin brother Cayden for one his two 3-pointers, swished in front of their beaming father and former Duke/NBA great Carlos Boozer, sitting in the front row under the basket."

A modest Cameron Boozer deflected talk about his individual game afterwards.

"It all starts with our defense, a team effort," Boozer said. "Picking up guys full court, making them uncomfortable, that's contagious. That's stops. If we guard the way we can, we can beat anyone in the country."

SU's coach and starting big man do not have to be convinced about Boozer's ability to lead Duke on a deep tournament run.

"He has a really great feel for the game," Autry said in praise. "He knows his game very well, he knows moments in games when to take over. He can drive, get to a spot, he's strong. I don't think there's too many people in college that can really hold him off when he wants to get to the basket."

"He is the best player in the conference, and one of the best in the country," Orange center Will Kyle III said after battling Boozer and center Patrick Ngongba all night, and finishing with 12 points but just three rebounds . "He's extremely strong, knows how to get to his spots. It was one of the more difficult matchups of my career."

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