ACC Basketball – Duke 72, Virginia Tech 58 — Game recap (Jan. 31, 2026)

The takeaway: No. 4 Duke continued its dominance in ACC play with a convincing 72–58 road victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Devils never trailed, controlled tempo from the opening minutes, and responded repeatedly to Hokies pushes — extending their league win streak and adding another impressive performance despite a stretch of offensive struggles from deep. (Associated Press (New Canaan Advertiser))

Score & line

• Final: Duke 72, Virginia Tech 58. (Halftime: Duke 40, Virginia Tech 31.) (CBSSports box score (CBS Sports))
• Records after the game: Duke 20–1 (9–0 ACC); Virginia Tech 16–7 (5–5 ACC). (Associated Press (New Canaan Advertiser))

Key stats

• Duke: 31-59 FG (52.5%), 5-21 3PT (23.8%), 15-21 FT (71.4%), 39 rebounds, 17 assists, 10 turnovers. Turned notable inside strength and efficient shooting into separation against a scrappy Virginia Tech defense. (Associated Press (New Canaan Advertiser))
• Virginia Tech: 23-55 FG (41.8%), 7-26 3PT (26.9%), 15-18 FT (83.3%), 31 rebounds. The Hokies battled but couldn’t sustain offensive momentum or key stops late. (CBSSports box score (CBS Sports))

Top performers:

• Cameron Boozer (Duke): 24 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists — efficient and aggressive inside with key buckets through crunch time. (Associated Press (New Canaan Advertiser))
• Maliq Brown (Duke): 11 points — timely scoring that complemented Duke’s interior attack. (Associated Press (New Canaan Advertiser))
• Isaiah Evans (Duke): 11 points — contributed on both ends to sustain offensive pushes. (Associated Press (New Canaan Advertiser))
• Amani Hansberry (Virginia Tech): 20 points — led the Hokies with a strong offensive night. (Associated Press (New Canaan Advertiser))
• Jailen Bedford (Virginia Tech): 12 points — provided secondary scoring and cut into Duke’s lead late. (CBSSports box score (CBS Sports))

Game flow — the moments that mattered

• Hot start sends Duke ahead: After an even opening few minutes, Duke gradually built momentum behind efficient shooting and strong paint play. They closed the first half on a 10–2 run, turning a tight game into a manageable 40–31 lead at the break. (CBSSports box score (CBS Sports))
• Hokies fight back early second half: Virginia Tech came out firing after halftime, trimming Duke’s lead to 42–36 early on and showing offensive life with miscues from Duke’s perimeter game. That rally briefly energized Cassell Coliseum and set up a key stretch of basketball. (SI.com recap (Yardbarker))
• Duke answers and pulls away: Duke responded with a critical 8–3 run, highlighted by Boozer’s inside scoring and timely defense, to push the lead back into double digits and blunt the Hokies’ momentum. From there the Blue Devils maintained control, never allowing Virginia Tech back within striking distance. (SI.com recap (Yardbarker))
• Late push seals the win: Down late, Virginia Tech cut the margin to 62–56 with just over six minutes left, but Duke reeled off the next seven points — three coming on Boozer’s deep triple with 1:30 remaining — to put the game out of reach and secure the road win. (Associated Press (New Canaan Advertiser))

Player & coaching notes

• Boozer’s efficient night: Cameron Boozer made the most of his opportunities inside and on the glass, shooting 9-of-12 from the field. His playmaking and finishing anchored Duke’s offense when perimeter shooting stalled. (Associated Press (New Canaan Advertiser))
• Balanced supporting cast: Brown and Evans each chipped in double figures, and Duke’s depth helped sustain pressure when starters rested. The team’s assist numbers reflected crisp ball movement that created high-quality shots all afternoon. (Associated Press (New Canaan Advertiser))
• Hokies battled: Virginia Tech’s Amani Hansberry continued his strong play with 20 points, and Bedford hit key shots to keep the home crowd engaged. However, the Hokies’ perimeter shooting struggled and they couldn’t sustain consistent scoring when Duke tightened defensively. (CBSSports box score (CBS Sports))

Why Duke won

• Paint presence & efficient scoring: Duke outscored Virginia Tech 46–24 in the paint, using strong inside play to offset cold stretches from beyond the arc. Their ability to score at all three levels kept constant pressure on the Hokies’ defense. (SI.com recap (Yardbarker))
• Clutch sequences in crunch time: After Virginia Tech narrowed the lead in the second half, Duke’s defense forced turnovers and created transition opportunities that allowed them to rebuild separation late. (Associated Press (New Canaan Advertiser))
• ACC consistency: The win marked Duke’s ninth straight victory — all in conference play — and extended its current ACC dominance with its 20th straight win vs. ACC opponents. (SI.com recap (Yardbarker))

Quick look ahead

Duke will return home to host Boston College on Tuesday night as it seeks to remain perfect in ACC play and build momentum toward March. Virginia Tech will travel to NC State next weekend, looking to snap its conference skid and bolster its NCAA Tournament résumé. (Associated Press (New Canaan Advertiser))