No. 1 Duke Crushes Notre Dame 100-56

Cameron Boozer's dominant double-double leads Blue Devils to blowout victory.

Feb. 25, 2026 at 3:59am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In a lopsided matchup, the top-ranked Duke Blue Devils routed the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 100-56 on the road. Duke forward Cameron Boozer led the way with 24 points and 13 rebounds, while the Blue Devils jumped out to a 54-22 halftime lead and cruised to the easy win. The loss was Notre Dame's worst home defeat since 1898, as the Irish were missing key players due to injuries.

Why it matters

This game highlighted the gap between the nation's top-ranked team and a struggling Notre Dame squad dealing with significant injuries. Duke's decisive victory on the road against a conference opponent reinforces their status as a national title contender, while Notre Dame's woes raise questions about their ability to compete at the highest level this season.

The details

Duke forward Cameron Boozer dominated the game, scoring 20 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in the first half alone as the Blue Devils built a commanding 32-point halftime lead. Darren Harris added 16 points for Duke, while Patrick Ngongba II and Caleb Foster each scored 13. Notre Dame was led by 14 points each from Cole Certa and Brady Koehler, but the Irish were overmatched without injured starters Jalen Haralson and Markus Burton.

  • The game took place on Tuesday, February 25, 2026.
  • Duke was playing its first game of the season as the nation's top-ranked team.

The players

Cameron Boozer

A 6-foot-9 forward for Duke and a leading national Player of the Year candidate.

Darren Harris

A Duke player who scored 16 points in the victory.

Cole Certa

A Notre Dame player who scored 14 points in the loss.

Jalen Haralson

A Notre Dame freshman who was averaging 15.5 points per game before suffering an ankle injury.

Markus Burton

Notre Dame's leading scorer who was out with an ankle injury that required surgery.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

Duke will host No. 11 Virginia on Saturday, while Notre Dame will host NC State on the same day.

The takeaway

Duke's dominant performance on the road against a conference opponent reinforces their status as a national title contender, while Notre Dame's lopsided defeat at home raises concerns about their ability to compete at the highest level this season due to key injuries to their top players.