No. 3 Duke crushes Syracuse 101-64 in ACC blowout

Blue Devils shoot 62% from the field in dominant win over Orange

Feb. 18, 2026 at 7:55pm

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The third-ranked Duke Blue Devils routed the Syracuse Orange 101-64 in an ACC matchup on Monday night. Duke shot an impressive 62.3% from the field and 60% from 3-point range, led by strong performances from Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans. The win was Duke's 11th straight over Syracuse since the Orange joined the ACC in 2013.

Why it matters

This game highlights Duke's continued dominance over Syracuse in ACC play. While Syracuse was expected to be an elite basketball program when it joined the conference, the Orange have struggled, posting a sub-.500 record in the ACC over the past 12 seasons. Duke's ability to consistently beat Syracuse by large margins underscores the gap between the two programs in the conference.

The details

Duke jumped out to a big lead early, going on a 16-3 run sparked by the Boozer twins and Isiah Evans. The Blue Devils led 40-24 at halftime and then opened the second half with an 8-2 run to pull further ahead. Duke's exceptional shooting, including 71.9% from the floor and 66.7% from 3-point range in the second half, allowed them to cruise to the 37-point victory.

  • The game was played on Monday, February 17, 2026.

The players

Cameron Boozer

A Duke player who scored 22 points and had 12 rebounds, recording his 14th double-double of the season.

Isiah Evans

A Duke player who scored 21 points in the win.

William Kyle III

A Syracuse player who scored the first basket of the game and is the top shot blocker in the ACC.

Adrian Autrey

The third-year head coach of the Syracuse Orange.

Jon Scheyer

The head coach of the Duke Blue Devils.

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What they’re saying

“Offensively, I feel like we just played inside-out. We were trying to get paint touches first and then kick out for open 3s, not trying to take contested shots, just take the easy ones.”

— Isiah Evans

“I thought it was great maturity from Cam and Isaiah, being the guys that get the most shots. They didn't force anything.”

— Jon Scheyer, Duke head coach

What’s next

Duke will next face the top-ranked Michigan Wolverines on Saturday, February 22, 2026 at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

The takeaway

This game showcases Duke's continued dominance over Syracuse in ACC play, as the Blue Devils have now won 11 straight against the Orange. While Syracuse was expected to be an elite program when it joined the conference, the team has struggled to maintain that level of success, highlighting the gap between the two programs in the ACC.