Duke rebounded from a slow start to defeat Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville 90-47 on Friday.
The Blue Devils missed nine of their first 11 shots before finding their rhythm, according to reporting from Yahoo Sports.
Duke utilized a 25-6 run to gain control and maintained a significant size advantage throughout the contest.
The team forced 19 turnovers and recorded 11 steals while limiting the Cougars to 30 percent shooting overall.
Patrick Ngongba blocked five shots, while Cameron Williams added three blocks to the defensive effort.
Offensively, Duke shot 45 percent from the field and 31 percent from beyond the arc.
Cayden Boozer led the team with 10 rebounds and added 11 points, while Caleb Foster contributed 12 points off the bench.
Despite the lopsided final score, head coach Jon Scheyer noted that the team still faces developmental challenges.
“Offensively, I thought we looked disjointed,” Scheyer said regarding the team’s current offensive execution.
He added that the coaching staff needs to prioritize role identification to help the players maximize their individual strengths.
The matchup followed a letter from SIUE coach Brian Barone, who expressed his perspective on the challenge of facing the Blue Devils, as documented in his official team correspondence.
The Cougars struggled to find consistent scoring, shooting only 14 percent from outside.
Duke outscored SIUE 47-27 in the second half, closing the game on a 20-3 run.
The Blue Devils now shift their focus toward an upcoming home game against a high-powered Illinois squad.
Scheyer emphasized the importance of addressing current offensive inconsistencies before that Tuesday matchup.
The team aims to build on this performance, which was described by local observers as more aggressive than their previous outing against Michigan State.
Players like Sebastian Wilkins and JoJo Boumtje Boumtje provided depth, with the latter contributing 11 points and nine rebounds.
The win serves as a momentum builder for Duke as they prepare for a tougher schedule ahead.