While the final score suggests a comfortable win, Duke’s 70-54 victory over Pitt does not fully reflect how the game unfolded. The Blue Devils were unable to deliver the dagger until the final three minutes, when they finally created separation.
Duke opened the game sluggishly, allowing Pitt to capitalize with an early 7-0 run that forced head coach Jon Scheyer to call an early timeout. The Blue Devils responded with a run of their own and climbed back into the game, but they never fully took control in the first half. At the break, Duke held a narrow 35-29 lead.
The second half featured improved play from Duke on both ends of the floor, but Pitt continued to hang around with a brief run of its own to stay within striking distance. It wasn’t until the closing minutes that Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster knocked down key shots to finally put the game away.
Sophomore Isaiah Evans led the way for the Blue Devils with a bounce-back performance after struggling against North Carolina. Evans finished with a team-high 21 points on an efficient 8-of-10 shooting from the field, including an impressive 5-of-6 from three-point range.
Cameron Boozer had a relatively quiet night by his standards, scoring 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting while grabbing 10 rebounds. Caleb Foster also contributed with a solid all-around effort, finishing with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting and eight rebounds. Now, Duke turns its attention to 20th-ranked Clemson, which sits just behind the Blue Devils in the ACC standings and is looking to move ahead in the conference race. For Duke to come away with a win, three players will need to be at their best.
Cameron Boozer
Anyone glancing at the box score from the Pitt game would see a productive outing from Boozer – 17 points and 10 rebounds. However, the performance lacked the dominance Duke has grown accustomed to seeing from its star forward.
Clemson enters the matchup coming off a surprising loss to Virginia Tech and will likely play with added urgency. Against Pitt, Boozer struggled with double teams and led the team with four turnovers. Clemson is expected to employ a similar defensive approach, making it crucial for Boozer to be quicker and more decisive as a passer out of the post.
Isaiah Evans
Evans was the best player on the floor against Pitt and will need to maintain that level of play against Clemson. He scored a game-high 21 points while shooting 8-of-10 from the field and 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. Evans was effective in a variety of ways, knocking down shots off the dribble, coming off screens, and finishing strong drives to the basket. His scoring versatility will be vital against a disciplined Clemson defense.
Maliq Brown
Patrick Ngongba did not play against Pitt due to a wrist injury, opening the door for Maliq Brown to start. While Brown was not brought to Duke to be a primary offensive option, he was largely a non-factor on that end of the floor.
With Ngongba sidelined, opposing defenses will continue to key in on Boozer, making it important for Brown to provide some offensive presence. Against Pitt, Brown attempted just two shots. Moving forward, he will need to be more of a threat around the rim, particularly as a lob target, to keep defenses honest.
Duke’s late surge against Pitt showed its ability to close games, but the margin for error will be much smaller against Clemson. With the Tigers bringing an elite defensive mindset and added motivation, the Blue Devils will need their key contributors to rise to the occasion.
If Boozer handles pressure more effectively, Evans continues his scoring efficiency, and Brown provides just enough offensive support in the paint, Duke will be well positioned to protect its place near the top of the ACC standings.
