Duke Dominates to Clinch Top Seed
Duke defeated Virginia 77-51 behind Isaiah Evans' 19 points and Cameron Boozer's strong play, clinching the top seed for the ACC Tournament. The Blue Devils also routed Florida State 100-65 and are now 26-3, solidifying their status for a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
The victory over Virginia was a showcase of defensive might, holding the Cavaliers to a season-low 51 points, more than 31 points below their average. Virginia was held to just 29.1% shooting from the field, their first time under 30% in over a year. This defensive prowess is a season-long trend for the Blue Devils, who rank third in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 62.9 points per game. Under head coach Jon Scheyer, Duke has established itself as one of the most efficient defensive teams in the country. The win marked Duke's 10th victory over a top-25 ranked opponent this season, the most for any team in the nation. This makes Duke the first team in ACC history to achieve at least 10 regular-season wins against ranked foes. Sophomore Isaiah Evans has been a critical offensive spark; Duke is 25-0 over the last two seasons when he makes at least three 3-pointers. Meanwhile, freshman Cameron Boozer is a frontrunner for National Player of the Year, averaging 22.7 points per game and having recorded at least 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists in every game this season. The Blue Devils' success is built on near-invincibility at home. They are undefeated at Cameron Indoor Stadium this season and are currently on a 31-game home winning streak. Coach Jon Scheyer has a 62-3 record at home since taking over. With their dominant regular season, multiple bracketology experts project Duke as a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Their resume includes an 11-2 record in Quadrant 1 games, a key metric for the selection committee.
