Duke, ranked No. 3 in the nation and coming off a big win over Illinois at Madison Square Garden, showed no signs of a letdown against Miami. The Blue Devils cruised to a commanding 97-60 victory, though the game was overshadowed by an injury to Tyrese Proctor, who exited just before halftime with a knee issue and did not return.
Duke started strong, jumping out to a 15-2 lead as Miami struggled to find any offensive rhythm. The Hurricanes opened the game shooting just 2-of-9 from the field and 0-of-5 from three-point range, committing four turnovers in the first eight minutes. By the midway point of the first half, Duke had extended its advantage to 29-14.
Miami showed flashes of life, particularly through Jalil Bethea, who went 3-of-6 from deep. As the broadcast crew noted, Bethea’s first-half three-point shooting alone surpassed Illinois’ entire first-half production from beyond the arc in their game against Duke on Saturday. However, Isaiah Evans countered with an impressive shooting display of his own, going 5-of-6 from three-point range, including a four-point play, to finish the half with 16 points.
Despite a solid effort from Miami in the first half, the talent gap between the two teams was evident. The Hurricanes were shorthanded, with just eight scholarship players available, and their top player, Matthew Cleveland, sidelined. Lynn Kidd, who was questionable before the game, did play and contributed.
At halftime, Duke held a commanding lead while shooting 61.5% from both three-point range and the field overall. Miami, in contrast, shot just 37.5% from the floor and 23.5% from deep while committing 11 turnovers. The Hurricanes did dominate the rebounding battle, pulling down 18 boards (including 11 offensive) to Duke’s 11 total rebounds.
Even without Proctor, Duke came out strong in the second half, opening with a 10-2 run to push the lead to 57-34. Miami continued to make unforced errors, following a pattern of staying competitive early before fading down the stretch. In one sequence, an attempted pass inside rolled out of bounds untouched, and later, a ball handler dribbled straight into Sion James, who simply took possession. It was a tough night for Miami, whose players clearly wanted to perform better.
The Blue Devils extended their lead to 31 points at 69-38 with 12:30 remaining, and from that point forward, the game resembled a scrimmage.
Kon Knueppel led Duke with 20 points, while Cooper Flagg contributed 16 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Evans also finished with 16, and Caleb Foster added 10, continuing his strong play in limited minutes.
Duke will next face Florida State at home on Saturday.
Takeaways:
Proctor’s knee injury is a concern, but Foster’s recent strong performances suggest he’s ready to step up if needed.
Evans continues to impress with his scoring ability.
Bethea, a former five-star recruit, showed potential but still has room to grow.
Patrick Ngongba’s development is promising—he may not be the most athletic player, but his intelligence and skill set are improving.
Kojo Maluach is also progressing quickly and just needs to maximize his length and assertiveness on the court.
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