Duke crushes Syracuse in ACC blowout

Blue Devils hand Orange their worst loss since joining the conference

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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In a lopsided ACC matchup, the Duke Blue Devils routed the Syracuse Orange 92-57 on Monday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. The loss marked Syracuse's worst defeat since joining the ACC in 2013.

Why it matters

This game highlighted the growing gap between Duke and Syracuse, two historic basketball rivals. Duke has emerged as one of the top teams in the ACC, while Syracuse has struggled to regain its former dominance in the conference.

The details

Duke led by as many as 38 points in the second half, completely overwhelming Syracuse with their size, speed, and shooting ability. The Blue Devils shot 55% from the field and outrebounded the Orange 42-28. Syracuse guard JJ Starling had a team-high 15 points but was no match for Duke's balanced attack.

  • The game took place on Monday, February 16, 2026 in Durham, North Carolina.

The players

JJ Starling

A guard for the Syracuse Orange basketball team.

Darren Harris

A player for the Duke Blue Devils basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“We got completely outplayed in every facet of the game. Duke is on another level right now and we have a lot of work to do to get back to that point.”

— Jim Boeheim, Head Coach, Syracuse Orange (Syracuse.com)

What’s next

Syracuse will look to rebound in their next ACC matchup against North Carolina on February 21st. Duke will try to continue their strong conference play when they face off against Miami on February 23rd.

The takeaway

This lopsided defeat highlights the ongoing challenge Syracuse faces in trying to regain its status as an ACC basketball powerhouse, while Duke has firmly established itself as one of the top teams in the conference.