No. 7 Duke Downs BC, 72-61, For Fifth Straight Road Win

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Freshman Paolo Banchero recorded 16 points, 14 rebounds and three assists to lead No. 7 Duke to a 72-61 win at Boston College on Saturday.

Ten of Banchero’s points came in the first half, and he finished the night 7-of-14 from the field to help the Blue Devils (21-4, 11-3 ACC) win their fifth consecutive road game. Duke also completed a stretch of four contests in eight days that saw head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s team earn three victories away from home.

After trading baskets through the majority of the first half, Duke closed out the period on an 11-4 run to head into the break leading 37-28. The Blue Devils expanded the lead to 15 just over five minutes into the second half on a three by junior Wendell Moore Jr., who finished 4-of-5 from behind the arc for 14 points. The Eagles responded with an 8-0 run to cut their deficit to seven, but that would prove to be the closest they could get as Duke imposed its will on the interior.

James Karnik led Boston College (9-14, 4-9 ACC) with a game-high 21 points on 9-of-17 shooting, while DeMarr Langford added 16.

The Blue Devils were balanced throughout with five players scoring in double figures. Freshman Trevor Keels followed up a career night at Clemson on Thursday by hitting 5-of-7 from the field for 13 points, while classmate AJ Griffin and sophomore Mark Williams notched 10 apiece. Duke finished 46.4 percent (26-of-46) and knocked down seven three’s.

Banchero’s double-double was his second consecutive and sixth in his last nine games.

Duke returns home on Tuesday night to face Wake Forest at 7 p.m. on ESPN.