In a season already overflowing with hype, electric atmospheres, and the emergence of a freshman phenom unlike anything Duke fans have seen in years, Tuesday night inside Cameron Indoor Stadium delivered the latest chapter in the Blue Devils’ push toward national dominance. What looked early like a dangerous, stubborn, relentless Florida team punching back at every turn ultimately became another test of toughness that No. 4 Duke passed — barely, dramatically, and unmistakably convincingly.
The ACC/SEC Challenge matchup, billed as a collision of contrasting strengths, became exactly that: Duke’s high-powered, ultra-skilled frontcourt punching at the rim and Florida’s bruising, relentless rebounding machine trying to break the Blue Devils’ rhythm. What followed was a 40-minute battle that pushed Jon Scheyer’s undefeated team to the brink but also revealed why this Duke roster, now 9–0, may be built for something far more meaningful than a December win.
By the end, Duke survived Florida’s furious last swing and escaped with a heart-pounding 67–66 victory — extending its home winning streak to 22 straight games and showing the nation that even on a night where the offense sputtered, the threes refused to fall, and momentum swung wildly from bench to bench, the Blue Devils still had the composure and the star power to close out a heavyweight fight.
This was survival. This was identity. And this was the moment Duke fans will look back on if this season becomes something special.
A Chaotic, Cold, and Wild First Half — Until Duke Went Inside
The game opened in a way no one quite expected. Duke took its first seven shots from beyond the arc, almost daring Florida to collapse defensively. The Blue Devils hit three of them, but it was clear almost immediately that this strategy wouldn’t hold — not with Florida’s length, athleticism, and physicality in transition.
For the first seven minutes, neither team created meaningful separation. The lead flipped six times. Duke would hit a tough three, Florida would respond with a strong downhill drive, and both teams looked like two contenders feeling each other out.
But when Duke finally went inside the arc, the game shifted dramatically.
Jon Scheyer has built his program on versatility and modern spacing, but everyone in Cameron knows that when Duke’s rotation leans on its frontcourt, it becomes a different animal. Once the Blue Devils began targeting touches for freshman superstar Cameron Boozer and frontcourt anchor Patrick Ngongba, the entire energy of the building changed.
Florida defenders suddenly felt the weight of Boozer’s physicality, footwork, and absurd efficiency. They felt the presence of Ngongba, who continues to evolve into one of the nation’s most intimidating interior defenders.
Within minutes, Duke turned a back-and-forth battle into a controlled, steady rise toward momentum.
The Blue Devils ended the half on a 17–5 run, turning a tight game into a 36–24 advantage.
The Boozer–Ngongba Show Takes Over
The story of the first half — and arguably the entire game — was the dominance of Duke’s frontcourt duo.
Cameron Boozer:
16 first-half points
Three rebounds, one assist
Relentless attacking, fearless in traffic, and again showing why he might already be one of the top three players in college basketball… as a freshman.
Patrick Ngongba:
Eight points
Three rebounds
Four blocks in just two minutes
Plus several interior rotations that shut off Florida’s driving lanes completely.
This pairing, still early in its chemistry, continues to grow more devastating each game. Against Arkansas, they were unstoppable. Against Florida, they were necessary. Florida’s strong rebounding reputation and length made this matchup a true test — and Duke’s young bigs passed it with force.
Florida Strikes Back — And the Game Turns Into a War
As expected from a defending national champion, Florida was not going anywhere.
Whatever Jon Scheyer said at halftime, Florida somehow said something louder. The Gators came out with fury, attacking the rim, crashing the boards, and hitting Duke with a 9–2 run that cut the lead to only five and forced Scheyer into an early timeout.
Seconds later, the arena felt the pressure shift again when Florida pulled within 40–38, prompting a wave of tension through Cameron.
The Gators were getting downhill. They were getting second-chance looks. They were pushing Duke’s guards off their spots and testing the composure of a largely young Blue Devil lineup.
For a moment, it felt like the undefeated season might be cracking.
But then Isaiah Evans — still searching for rhythm, still 0-for-7 from deep at the time — delivered his first momentum sequence of the night.
Enter Isaiah Evans: The Spark Duke Needed
Evans, who went from struggling to spectacular, completely flipped Duke’s energy with a wild sequence:
A fearless, traffic-heavy layup that snapped Duke out of its offensive funk.
An aggressive block on the other end, igniting the Cameron crowd.
A few possessions later, with the building trembling,
a violent, highlight-reel dunk that lifted the entire arena’s energy.
Evans had officially arrived — and the game shifted again.
Then came the moment the Cameron Crazies will replay for years:
Evans threading a laser pass to Ngongba for a monstrous alley-oop slam that sent the arena into near chaos.
Duke needed a hero in the middle of Florida’s push. They found one in their athletic, emotional, high-ceiling sophomore.
The Final Minutes: Boozer’s Poise and Evans’ Redemption
From there, the game became a grind. Duke and Florida traded punches — threes, layups, stops, fouls, runs. Neither team blinked.
With just over two minutes left, the game tied and tension thick enough to cut with a knife, Cameron Boozer stepped into a deep three with absolute calm and buried it.
62–59 Duke.
Freshman.
No fear.
It was the shot of a future lottery pick who plays like he’s been in college for three years already.
But the drama wasn’t close to over.
Florida struck back. Duke missed two straight chances. The game tightened again.
And then came the moment that rewrote the entire night:
**Isaiah Evans — 0-for-7 from three, struggling all game —
rose up and hit the biggest shot of his life.**
A clean, confident, go-ahead three with 21 seconds left, sending Cameron Indoor into an explosion of sound.
Evans finished with:
13 points
Five blocks (career-high)
A game-winning shot
One of the most important defensive performances of his career
Boozer closed with 29 points, his latest dominant national statement.
Ngongba added 11 points, five rebounds, and five assists, showcasing elite two-way versatility.
Even on a night where Duke shot just 7-for-26 from three, the Blue Devils hit the ones the moment required.
Duke’s Winning Identity Is Starting to Take Shape
This wasn’t Duke at its prettiest.
It was Duke at its toughest.
And that’s why this win matters.
Florida forced the Blue Devils to:
battle through cold stretches
respond to big runs
defend with precision and commitment
make pressure shots
trust their stars
believe in their young core
The veterans held the team steady.
The young guys made the plays that mattered.
This is what national contenders do.
Duke didn’t just protect its home floor.
It proved its home floor is a fortress.
22 straight wins in Cameron — and counting.
Up Next: A True Road War Against Michigan State
The challenge doesn’t stop.
On Saturday, Duke travels to East Lansing to face No. 7 Michigan State — their first true high-major road test of the season.
A hostile crowd.
A veteran opponent.
A battle-tested program.
If Tuesday night was a test of composure, Saturday will be a test of character.
But with Boozer emerging into superstardom, Ngongba ascending as a complete two-way threat, Evans finding his confidence, and Scheyer’s rotation improving each game, Duke is heading into it undefeated, unshaken, and undeniably growing stronger.
The Blue Devils are not just winning.
They’re evolving.
