Duke’s men’s basketball team, ranked No. 3, faced off against Virginia in a thrilling matchup at the John Paul Jones Arena. After the first half, the Blue Devils took a solid lead of 43-29 into the locker room, displaying a scene that significantly differed from their last visit, where they suffered a heartbreaking 69-62 overtime loss due to a controversial foul call.
Early in the game, both teams showcased impressive shooting from beyond the arc, with Duke going 3-for-4 and Virginia shooting 2-for-3 from three-point range within the initial minutes. Kon Knueppel initiated the scoring for Duke, followed by standout Isaiah Evans, who lit up the court, sinking all three of his three-point attempts. On the Cavaliers’ side, Andrew Rohde and Isaac McKneely both demonstrated effective shooting, contributing to the barrage of long-range shots with a combined 11 three-pointers made in the half as both teams hovered around 50% shooting from deep.
The physical play around the rim was equally exciting, highlighted by Blake Buchanan’s dunk and strong performances from Duke’s Khaman Maluach and Maliq Brown. However, Duke’s strong rebounding prowess played a crucial role, dominating the boards with a 24-8 advantage and banking 14 second-chance points, although they did face an injury concern when Brown left the game with a shoulder issue.
Virginia started strong, momentarily leading with a dunk and a three-pointer, but Duke quickly regained control, launching on a 16-2 scoring run that left the Cavaliers in a scoring drought for nearly three and a half minutes. This shift was fueled by a balanced offensive effort, marking a significant comeback momentum for the team. Notably, Evans emerged as the standout player of the half with nine points, showcasing a resurgence after having struggled in earlier games.
This performance illustrates Duke’s ability to rise to the occasion on the road, and their collective teamwork and shooting accuracy bode well for the remainder of the season, offering hope for continued success as they seek to improve on their past results in tough environments.