No. 1 Duke beats No. 10 Virginia 74-70 for 2nd straight ACC Tournament title

Blue Devils overcome poor shooting night to claim conference championship under coach Jon Scheyer

Mar. 15, 2026 at 8:56pm

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No. 1 Duke defeated No. 10 Virginia 74-70 on Saturday night to win its second straight Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship under coach Jon Scheyer. Isaiah Evans scored 20 points, and Cameron Boozer made two free throws with 3.9 seconds left to seal the victory for the Blue Devils, who extended their winning streak to 11 games heading into the NCAA Tournament.

Why it matters

The win solidifies Duke's status as a top contender for the NCAA championship, as the Blue Devils are expected to be the No. 1 overall seed. The game also showcased the defensive prowess of Virginia's Ugonna Onyenso, who set an ACC Tournament record with 21 blocks over three games.

The details

Despite tying a season low by shooting just 38% from the field, Duke was able to overcome a poor shooting night from ACC Player of the Year Cameron Boozer, who made just 3 of 17 shots. Onyenso blocked four of Boozer's shots, but the Blue Devils found a way to win with contributions from Evans, Cayden Boozer, and clutch free throws down the stretch.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 15, 2026.

The players

Jon Scheyer

The head coach of the Duke Blue Devils, who has led the team to two straight ACC Tournament championships.

Isaiah Evans

A Duke player who scored 20 points in the win over Virginia.

Cameron Boozer

The ACC Player of the Year, who overcame a poor shooting night to make two clutch free throws to seal the victory for Duke.

Ugonna Onyenso

The Virginia center who set an ACC Tournament record with 21 blocks over three games, including four blocks of Cameron Boozer.

Ryan Odom

The first-year head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers, who was proud of his team's defensive effort against Duke.

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What they’re saying

“That was a heavyweight fight. And I think people know that Virginia is really good, but I don't think everybody does. So they tested us in every way. Man, I was just so proud of our guys, the competitive spirit we had down the stretch.”

— Jon Scheyer, Head Coach, Duke Blue Devils

“It proves that we can fight through adversity. We won ugly. Obviously being down two guys (due to injuries to starters Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba II) was tough, but we found a way. … We wanted to make a statement — whether we have nine guys, seven guys or five guys, we are going to find a way.”

— Cameron Boozer

“He's just a special player. He has the ability to beat you in a multitude of ways, whether it is driving against a bigger guy, his physicality as he gets closer to the rim, banging the shot from beyond the arc, getting to the free throw line or making the pass. He made several key passes where they got layups.”

— Ryan Odom, Head Coach, Virginia Cavaliers

What’s next

Both teams will await their seed in the NCAA Tournament. It's expected Duke will be a No. 1 seed and play in Greenville, South Carolina — the closest site to its Durham campus.

The takeaway

This game showcased the depth and resilience of the Duke Blue Devils, who were able to overcome a poor shooting night and key injuries to claim their second straight ACC Tournament title. The performance of Virginia's Ugonna Onyenso also highlighted the team's defensive prowess, setting the stage for what could be an exciting NCAA Tournament run for the Cavaliers.