Duke basketball handles Howard in 93-56 win

Chip Alexander, The News & Observer on Nov 23, 2025

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DURHAM, N.C. — Duke fans had a lot to cheer Sunday at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The “Brotherhood Run” came to an end as Howard coach Kenny Blakeney, who played on Duke’s 1992 national championship team, was given a nice round of applause before the game.

The noise level grew once the ball went up as the No. 5 Blue Devils began running the court and dunking at will on their way to a 93-56 victory over the Bison as Cameron Boozer had 26 points and 12 rebounds.

A day after the Devils’ 32-25 win over rival North Carolina, the football team took the floor during the first half to be honored and brought the Victory Bell with them. That had them all standing and roaring in Cameron as the Bell clanged away.

The Blue Devils (7-0) will spend Thanksgiving Day in Chicago, where they will play Arkansas. But Sunday’s game was a nice holiday sendoff as Duke blended some efficient offense with its aggressive man-to-man defense for a comfortable victory.

The game was similar to the 100-42 win Friday over Niagara, coached by Greg Paulus, another former Devil guard. Against Niagara, it was Duke’s Patrick Ngongba II scoring a career-high 17 points as six players finished in double figures. Against Howard, it was Boozer leading the way and Ngongba adding 16 points.

Bryce Harris, a graduate guard, had 15 points for the Bison (3-4).

Both Paulus and Blakeney had their pregame moments with Mike Krzyzewski, their old coach, and a photo opportunity with Krzyzewski and Duke coach Jon Scheyer. Add in Johnny Dawkins in the preseason game against Central Florida, and it has been quite a Duke reunion.

What was learned Sunday about the Blue Devils?

Blue Devils selfless on offense

Scheyer has praised his team early in the season for sharing the basketball on offense and the Devils do have a seemingly selfless group.

Cameron Boozer is always a first option, and will be this season. But Boozer also is willing to pass up a good shot to get a teammate a better one.

The big man has good hands and quick feet — Krzyzewski, on a recent podcast, said Boozer has “great” feet with his agility and mobility at 6-9 and 250 pounds.

During the first half Sunday, Cayden Boozer had a pass tipped and Howard was about to come away with a steal before Cameron Boozer quickly stepped in and snatched the ball out of the air, bailing his little brother out of a turnover. Boozer then whipped a pass to Brown under the basket for a dunk.

Early in the game, Cameron Boozer fired off a long inbounds pass to an open Evans for a quick dunk. The play happened so quickly and effortlessly that the Bison were caught completely flat-footed, causing Blakeney to call a timeout with the score 5-0.

Cameron Boozer got his points, of course. His teammates saw to that as he had 14 points and six rebounds at halftime, knocking five 5 of his 6 shots including a swished 3-pointer. Boozer added another 3-pointer from the key in the second half.

Howard can’t solve Duke’s defense

When Howard went to the locker room at halftime, it was facing a 52-18 deficit. Blakeney had seen his team make just seven of 29 shots, going 2 for 13 on 3’s in the half.

Blakeney ordered up timeouts. He shook up the lineups. He changed up the defensive assignments. Call it a futile pursuit.

The Bison weren’t getting any second chances, either. They had two offensive rebounds in the half. There also was the matter of turnovers – Howard had eight in the opening half that Duke converted into 12 points.

Scheyer obviously liked what he was seeing. He stayed seated for much of the game, sipping water, making his points. No pacing the sideline, although a few sloppy plays in the second half did get him up, hands on hips.

According to the KenPom.com rankings, Duke is in the top eight nationally in offensive efficiency (124.8, third) and defensive efficiency (93.3, eighth).

Sarr offers Devils versatility

Duke freshman Dame Sarr has such versatility as a player. He’s thin but ultra quick. He can blanket his man on defense. He can run the floor, handle the ball, shoot the 3.

Sarr will make some mistakes and did Sunday. He had a turnover after he double-clutched on a shot, and later pushed off in grabbing an offensive rebound.

Bur Sarr and Maliq Brown give the Devils two lookalike wing forwards who are about 6-8 with long wingspans who can be suffocating defenders.

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