No. 1 Duke clinches outright ACC title with rout of NC State

Star freshman Cameron Boozer leads the Blue Devils to a decisive victory over the Wolfpack.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Top-ranked Duke clinched the outright Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title with a dominant 93-64 victory over NC State on Monday night. Freshman sensation Cameron Boozer scored 26 points and the Blue Devils shot 55.2% from the field, including 11 made 3-pointers, to overwhelm the Wolfpack.

Why it matters

Duke's win secures the No. 1 seed for next week's ACC tournament, cementing their status as one of the top teams in the country and a favorite to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The loss continues a late-season slide for NC State, who have now dropped five of their last six games.

The details

Boozer led the way for Duke, finishing 8-for-10 from the field and 9-for-11 from the free throw line while grabbing 9 rebounds. Dame Sarr added 14 points before halftime as the Blue Devils built a 47-30 lead by the break. Duke then opened the second half on a 9-0 run to put the game out of reach. Darrion Williams scored 17 points for the Wolfpack, who shot just 35.4% from the field and made only 7 of 29 3-point attempts.

  • Duke clinched the outright ACC regular-season title on Monday, March 3, 2026.
  • The Blue Devils secured the No. 1 seed for next week's ACC tournament with the win.

The players

Cameron Boozer

A star freshman for Duke who scored 26 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in the win.

Dame Sarr

A Duke player who scored 14 points, mostly in the first half, to help the Blue Devils build a big lead.

Darrion Williams

A player for NC State who scored a team-high 17 points in the loss.

Will Wade

The head coach of NC State, who is in his debut season with the Wolfpack.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

Duke's dominant win over NC State solidifies their status as one of the top teams in the country and a favorite to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The loss continues a late-season slide for the Wolfpack, raising questions about their ability to bounce back and make a strong postseason push.