There are regular-season wins, there are dominant wins, and then there are warnings—the kind of performances that force the rest of college basketball to stop, rewind the tape, and ask: “Is Duke already far better than anyone expected?”
On a night that was supposed to be nothing more than the second leg of the Brotherhood Run, Jon Scheyer’s Blue Devils delivered the kind of emphatic, all-systems-firing demolition that feels less like a game and more like a declaration. With a stunning 93–56 blowout over Howard, Duke didn’t simply win—they unveiled a terrifying preview of the monster they might become this season.
From the opening tip to the final horn, Duke played with a level of ferocity, fluidity, and unity that sent a message far louder than the Cameron Indoor roar that carried it:
This team might be the most dangerous version of Duke we’ve seen under Jon Scheyer.
And if that’s true, the rest of college basketball has a very big problem.
A Night Full of Meaning Before the Dominance Even Began
Before the ball even touched the court, emotions were already running high. Howard head coach and former Blue Devil Kenneth Blakeney was honored at midcourt, bringing a wave of nostalgia and respect through Cameron Indoor Stadium. But sentimentality ended the moment the game began. Not even two minutes into the contest, Blakeney had to burn a timeout as Duke tore out to a 5–0 lead, fueled by explosive energy and immediate execution.
It was a subtle but symbolic moment:
Duke respected the past, but they were laser-focused on the present. And the present belonged firmly to them.
The Freshman Explosion: Cameron Boozer Leads the Charge
If there was a single player who embodied Duke’s ferocity on this night, it was freshman sensation Cameron Boozer—a 26-point burst of skill, strength, and sheer offensive inevitability.
Every possession he touched felt like it had an answer waiting to happen:
Rim-attacking drives
Clean mid-range finishes
Turnovers converted instantly into points
A constant physical presence that made Howard’s defenders look undersized and overwhelmed
And yet, here’s what made his night even more terrifying:
He wasn’t doing it alone. He was the spearhead of an entire arsenal.
His fellow freshmen—Patrick Ngongba II and Isaiah Evans—were nearly as electric.
Ngongba added 16 points while controlling the paint with authority.
Evans continued his reputation as a high-level athlete with 11 points, including the dunk that produced the loudest eruption of the night.
This wasn’t a one-man showcase.
This was a statement about Duke’s newest generation—the Brotherhood’s future bursting into the present.
Sharing the Ball Like a Veteran Team
One of the most surprising and impressive aspects of the win wasn’t the spectacular scoring—it was the chemistry.
Early in the first half, Duke had 10 assists on its first 13 field goals. That’s not just teamwork—that’s telepathy. Scheyer later emphasized it:
“Cam and Isaiah are going to score a lot for us, but in these two games, I thought they set the table with how to share the ball. They’re doing a great job playing together.”
That sentence is the kind of thing coaches say.
But what Duke showed matched it perfectly.
The pick-and-roll was lethal.
The alley-oops were effortless.
The skip passes were timed with NBA-level precision.
This wasn’t a young team learning to play together.
This was a young team already comfortable doing so.
And that may be the most dangerous part.
Howard Never Stood a Chance
Howard had effort.
Howard had moments.
But Howard never had hope.
The Bison shot just 30.4% from the field, crushed by Duke’s length, rotations, and relentless pressure. Nearly every Howard starter airballed at least once in the first half—fueled not just by strong defense, but by the psychological weight of Cameron Indoor’s atmosphere.
Bryce Harris and Travelle Bryson knocked down tough shots to keep the scoreboard respectable, but every run Howard attempted was immediately smothered by a Duke burst.
A Ngongba finish.
A Boozer dunk.
An Evans three.
A Darren Harris steal.
A Cayden Boozer to Maliq Brown alley-oop.
It was like trying to put out a wildfire by throwing cups of water at it.
The Paint Was Duke’s Kingdom
The most staggering number of the night wasn’t the score.
It wasn’t even the shooting percentages.
It was this:
Duke outscored Howard 36–4 in the paint in the first half.
That’s not just dominance—that’s absolute territorial control.
Every offensive set seemed to bend toward Duke’s advantage. Angles, footwork, spacing, timing—it all worked as if choreographed. On defense, their size and discipline turned Howard’s attempts into desperation.
When Duke reached 52–18 at halftime, it wasn’t surprising.
It was simply the inevitable result of a team that refused to take a single possession off.
Darren Harris: More Than a Shooter
One of the quiet stars of the game was sophomore Darren Harris, who came in with a narrative attached: elite shooter, but is that all?
He answered that question quickly.
After burying a three off a designed inbounds play, he ramped up his defensive pressure, grabbing back-to-back steals and converting one into an easy layup.
After the game, Harris said:
“I try to prove I’m more than a jump shooter… I want to be impactful on both ends.”
Mission accomplished.
Evans’ Dunk Ignites Cameron Like a Powder Keg
With about 16 minutes left in the second half, the entire building shook.
Isaiah Evans stole the ball, took two massive steps on the fast break, rose high above the rim, and hammered down a dunk over a Howard defender—one of those momentum-changing, energy-exploding plays that only Cameron Indoor can magnify into a force of nature.
Moments like this don’t just energize the building.
They define early-season identity.
And Duke’s identity right now?
Fast. Long. Violent. Unafraid.
A Few Late Mistakes, but Nothing Serious
Even in perfection, there were imperfections.
Foul trouble crept in late.
Four Duke players flirted with too many whistles.
Howard went on a small 10–0 run.
Scheyer called timeout, visibly annoyed.
But in reality?
These were the kind of mistakes coaches want—because they provide teaching moments, not warning signs.
Scheyer made it clear:
“We have to be more disciplined… Our length is our strength, so we want people to have to score over us, not bail them out.”
If Duke cleans up that one issue, their defense becomes nearly unbreakable.
Cameron Sheffield Puts the Final Stamp on the Night
Graduate guard Cameron Sheffield, playing limited minutes but carrying unlimited confidence, drilled a late three-pointer to punctuate the win. It was a symbolic final note—another example of how deep this Duke roster truly is.
When your bench can hit momentum shots at will, your ceiling only gets higher.
What This Win Really Means
Most teams have a handful of nights each season where everything clicks.
But for Duke, the question isn’t “Was this one of those nights?”
It’s actually the opposite:
“What if this is simply who they are?”
Consider the evidence:
Elite freshman production
Total paint dominance
Relentless defensive length
Improved chemistry and ball movement
Deep bench contributions
Scheyer’s best season start yet
The maturity of a veteran team despite so many young stars
If you are a Duke fan, you are thrilled.
If you are a Duke opponent, you are worried.
If you are college basketball as a whole?
You should be paying very close attention.
The Gauntlet Ahead
This wasn’t just a blowout.
It was a warm-up.
Duke now steps into a three-game non-conference gauntlet beginning Thanksgiving night against Arkansas—one of the hardest stretches they’ll face before March.
If the Blue Devils look anything like they did against Howard?
They won’t just survive that stretch—they’ll dominate it.
The Final Question: Did Duke Just Reveal Its Scariest Version Yet?
After seven wins, two explosive Brotherhood Run performances, and a roster that looks like it’s already clicking at mid-season form, the evidence suggests one conclusion:
Yes. They absolutely did.
And if this is only the beginning, the ceiling goes far beyond the ACC.
This could be a team that plays itself deep into March—maybe even April.
Because when a team this young plays with this much confidence, athleticism, and unity…
It’s not a hot streak.
It’s a threat.
And Duke just threatened the rest of college basketball with something truly frightening:
Their best basketball is still ahead of them.
