The takeaway: The Duke Blue Devils delivered one of its most dominant performances of the season Monday night, dismantling the NC State Wolfpack 93-64 in Raleigh to secure the outright Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season championship. Behind elite scoring from freshman standout Cameron Boozer and a barrage of efficient shooting, Duke controlled the game from tip to final whistle and clinched the No. 1 seed for the upcoming ACC Tournament. (The Telegraph)
Score & line
- Final: Duke 93, NC State 64 (Halftime: 47-30 Duke) (CBS Sports)
- Records: Duke 28-2 (16-1 ACC); NC State 19-11 (10-7 ACC) (The Telegraph)
Key stats
- Duke: 31-of-56 FG (55.2%), 11-of-28 3PT, 20 assists, 9 rebounds from Boozer (The Telegraph)
- NC State: 7-of-29 3PT (24.1%), 35.4% shooting overall (The Telegraph)
Top performers:
- Cameron Boozer (Duke): 26 points, 9 rebounds, 8-of-10 shooting — including perfect free-throw execution down the stretch. (The Telegraph)
- Dame Sarr (Duke): 16 points — 14 of them came before halftime as Duke built momentum. (The Telegraph)
- Isaiah Evans (Duke): 11 points, hitting key outside shots in the first half. (The Telegraph)
- Darrion Williams (NC State): 17 points, paced the Wolfpack offense. (The Telegraph)
- Quadir Copeland (NC State): 11 points, one of the few consistent scoring threats for the home side. (The Telegraph)
Game flow — moments that mattered
- Duke seizes control early: After a brief opening run by NC State, including a couple of early triples from the Wolfpack, Duke responded with defensive intensity and offensive balance, sparking a 9-0 run that flipped the early momentum and put the visitors in front for good. (The Telegraph)
- Explosive first half: Duke closed the first two quarters on a high note — making its last five shots before halftime — and at the break enjoyed a 17-point lead (47-30), fueled by hot shooting from Sarr and Boozer’s interior presence. (The Telegraph)
- Early second-half surge: Duke didn’t let up in the third quarter, opening with a string of successful looks — including a corner three from Evans — to push the lead into the 20s and force NC State into desperate and often contested shots. (The Telegraph)
- Cruising in the final minutes: With the Wolfpack unable to cut into the advantage, Duke rotated its bench in the closing stretch, continuing to hit clean shots and keep NC State at bay en route to the 29-point victory. (Reuters)
Player & coaching notes
- Boozer’s breakout night: The Duke freshman standout poured in a team-high 26 points on ultra-efficient shooting and nearly secured a double-double with 9 boards. His combination of inside scoring and rebounding was too much for NC State to handle. (The Telegraph)
- Defensive pressure pays off: Duke’s length and quick closeouts helped limit the Wolfpack to 35 percent shooting and just 7 treys on the night — leaving NC State scrambling offensively. (The Telegraph)
- Balance across the lineup: With four Duke players reaching double figures, head coach Jon Scheyer’s rotation showcased depth — turning peripheral scorers into impactful contributors. (The Telegraph)
Why Duke won
- Efficient offense: Shooting above 55 percent from the field, Duke consistently found high-percentage looks both inside and on the perimeter. (The Telegraph)
- Control early and often: A dominant first half set the tone and prevented NC State from ever mounting a sustained comeback. (The Telegraph)
- Rebounding and second-chance prevention: Duke’s strong glass work limited Wolfpack second-chance opportunities and fueled transition offense. (The Telegraph)
What’s next
With the outright ACC regular-season title secured, Duke heads into the ACC Tournament as the No. 1 seed, aiming to carry this dominant form into postseason play. Meanwhile, NC State will regroup and look to strengthen its NCAA Tournament résumé in the final days of the regular season. (The Telegraph)
Stats, quotes, and details compiled from game reports and box scores provided by ESPN, GoDuke.com, and Associated Press accounts.
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