LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As Isaac McKneeley’s contested 3-pointer ricocheted off the rim proper to Duke’s Dame Sarr with slightly below 14 minutes left within the Blue Devils’ 84-73 win vs. Louisville on Tuesday, Cardinals coach Pat Kelsey turned and slammed each fingers on the courtside desk behind him.
Kelsey may see a possible marquee victory slipping away from the Cardinals and had some frustration to let loose. Duke had outscored Louisville 14-6 within the second half and was methodically taking management in a essential ACC battle the Cardinals as soon as led by 12.
Simply 15 seconds later, the defensively resurgent Blue Devils took their first lead en path to a victory that established No. 6 Duke firmly atop the convention pecking order.
The No. 20 Cardinals, who began 7 of 10 from 3-point vary to ignite a crowd of 17,656, went chilly within the second half. By the two-minute mark, Louisville followers streamed towards the exits, resigned to Duke extending its successful streak within the sequence to eight.
Star freshman Cameron Boozer turned in one other dominant efficiency with 27 factors and eight rebounds to guide the Blue Devils, and coach Jon Scheyer was fast to notice that “what he is doing is unbelievable.”
However as nice as Boozer was, and as nice because the 43 factors from the supporting duo of Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster had been, Tuesday’s end result stood out for one thing else totally.
Duke’s protection, which was mired in its worst stretch since Scheyer’s taking part in days, rediscovered its identification.
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“They had been as explosive as any offense we have performed this season,” Scheyer mentioned. “No query about it. The sport actually got here all the way down to, I believe our protection within the second half was terrific.”
Duke’s return to the fundamentals
Throughout their 11-0 begin, Duke ranked No. 6 in defensive effectivity. However one thing modified within the second half of an 82-81 loss in opposition to Texas Tech on Dec. 20, because the Crimson Raiders shot a blistering 62.1% whereas erasing a 17-point deficit.
The shoddy protection continued in uncomfortably shut wins over projected ACC backside feeders Georgia Tech and Florida State over the previous week. These three video games marked the primary time since February 2009 that Duke allowed three consecutive opponents to shoot 53% or higher.
“We have gone by means of it,” Scheyer mentioned, including that the Blue Devils spent Monday engaged on “fundamental defensive drills” for the sake of rebuilding good habits.
“Guarding the ball, transferring because the ball strikes and being in a stance,” Scheyer defined, rattling off rules which may even be taught at Scheyer’s summer time youth camps.
Even after that return to the fundamentals, it was extra of the identical within the first half at Louisville, as sharpshooter Ryan Conwell drilled his first three 3-pointers. Then, reserve heart Aly Khalifa received in on the enjoyable by hitting his first three 3-pointers because the Cardinals opened up a 26-14 lead.
That is when Boozer put his foot down. Duke’s freshman phenom responded with a fast 3-pointer of his personal and scored 10 factors over an 8-minute span to assist preserve the Blue Devils in contact.
“In that first half, he simply settled us,” Scheyer mentioned. “If he did not do this, it may have gotten out of hand.”
The freshly settled Blue Devils regrouped at halftime and confirmed why they should be considered a Tier 1 menace to win the nationwide championship.
Unsung heroes
Collectively, the trio of Boozer, Evans and Foster keyed Duke to a sterling 70.8% capturing efficiency within the second half. However offensive brilliance is nothing new for the Blue Devils, nor was Louisville’s defensive susceptibility any grand revelation.
That is why, in the identical breaths that he used to reward his star trio for his or her manufacturing, Scheyer additionally credited Dame Sarr and Maliq Brown. The duo mixed for simply six factors off the bench, however they performed pivotal roles in slowing Louisville’s offensive barrage to a crawl.
A Cardinals workforce that hit 10 of 21 from 3-point vary within the first half hit simply 2 of 17 after halftime, and it wasn’t as a result of they all of a sudden forgot tips on how to shoot. Clear appears that abounded within the first half dissipated for Louisville as Duke prolonged its protection, turned extra energetic and dared the perimeter-oriented Cardinals to attempt to rating contained in the arc. Sarr and Brown helped spearhead the cost.
“They’re two of one of the best defenders I’ve ever been round,” Boozer mentioned. “What they do for our workforce, it may not present up within the field rating. However you positively really feel it all through the sport.”
The robust defensive effort got here with a caveat, as Louisville star freshman and offensive maestro Mikel Brown Jr. missed his fifth straight recreation on account of a again damage. However given how robust Louisville regarded within the first half with out Brown, there was loads to glean from Duke’s second half defensive effort.
Conwell, who received to his spots at will within the first half, completed 0 for 4 from deep within the second half.
“With a man like him, you wish to make him work for it,” Scheyer mentioned. “I believe the primary two threes he hit had been clear appears. In order that wasn’t good. That was on me, not our guys. That was on me. However I assumed simply the combat, the self-discipline to make him rating excessive…I believe it was extra concerning the combat and the hassle by Dame, by Caleb and by Isaiah within the second half to actually guard.”
Extra exams await in an ACC that has extra tooth in 2026 than it did final season, when Duke cruised to a 19-1 mark in league play. Although the Blue Devils handed what might go down as their hardest street task of convention play by taking down the Cardinals, they cannot relaxation on their laurels. The subsequent problem is Saturday in opposition to SMU, which is the league’s highest-rated offensive workforce not named Duke or Louisville. The Mustangs hung 97 on North Carolina final weekend.
However Duke took a giant step again in the precise path in opposition to Louisville. Boozer performed an unbelievable recreation. That is to be anticipated at this level.
What was much less sure, particularly after the primary half, is whether or not the protection would return for the primary time in weeks. It did, and the Blue Devils demonstrated their championship-level potential within the course of.
“We did some issues within the second half that I assumed was Duke protection,” Scheyer mentioned. “How can we construct from that and be true to who we’re and what’s made us actually good to this point?”
