Duke basketball wallops WCU. What we learned from the Blue Devils’ big win
Duke’s game Saturday against Western Carolina wasn’t so much about the score as the moments.
Or, for the No. 6 Blue Devils, some floor-burn moments.
Playing their first home game of the season at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Blue Devils ran over the Catamounts, 95-54, as Cameron Boozer had 25 points and eight rebounds.
Moments? It was Nikolas Khamenia knocking the ball away from WCU’s Cord Stansberry, then Cayden Boozer and Darren Harris skidding across the court hustling after a loose ball. It was Khamenia saving the ball as he fell out of bounds, leading to a score. It was Cameron Boozer going to the floor to keep a possession alive, getting the ball to Maliq Brown and resulting in Harris shooting three free throws after being fouled on a 3.
“We have a first-on-the-floor mentality,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “In the first half, we had three guys dive for the second game in a row. I love that.”
Later, WCU’s Marcus Kell made a nice baseline move and tested Boozer under the rim. Bad idea. Boozer easily swatted away the shot.
Not everything went smoothly in the first half for the Blue Devils, but it mattered little against a WCU team that was 8-22 last season and lost its opener by 31 points at Cincinnati earlier in the week. The Devils, favored by 36 points, had the Catamounts outquicked and outnumbered, and that was reflected in the final score.
“Our depth really showed,” Scheyer said.
The Blue Devils struggled through most of the first half of their opener, against Texas on Tuesday in the Dick Vitale Invitational in Charlotte. Against WCU, they led by 24 points.
Duke used some tight defense in the second half to roll past the Longhorns, 75-60. The Devils continued to contest everything Saturday and fight for loose balls.
“Whether we’re up 30 or down 10 we want to be playing the same way,” Boozer said. “We want to make every 50/50 ball 80/20 balls for us.”
Western Carolina, which got 14 points from guard Julien Soumaoro, was limited to 30.6 percent shooting — 4-for-26 on 3-pointers — and had 14 turnovers. The Catamounts scored six points in the first 11 minutes of the game in falling behind, 25-6.
“I’m impressed with Duke’s physicality and their attention to detail on the defensive end,” said second-year WCU coach Tim Craft. “They really made it hard for us.”
What did we learn about the Blue Devils in their second game?
Shooting the 3-pointer
The Blue Devils have a lineup of players who believe they can shoot the 3. Some can do that better than others, but many believe they can.
“Everyone in this locker room can make shots,” Cameron Boozer said.
Isaiah Evans has the green light at all times and the guy they call “Slim” can light it up from the 3-point line. Darren Harris has a nice touch from 3.
But there are some who may have to be more judicious as the season moves along. With the inside threats of Cameron Boozer and Patrick Ngongba II and a number of quick, slash-to-the-rim types, the Devils might look to attack the paint more and ease up on the 3-pointers.
Duke was 3-of-17 from 3 in the first half Saturday. Cameron Boozer had five 3-point shots and missed four, getting most of his 14 first-half points on his inside strength and five made free throws. Duke finished 10-for-32 on 3-pointers.
“I thought we settled so much,” Scheyer said. “With that said, if we have the open 3 we’ll take that all the time, but it has to be a fight-for-the rim, fighting-for-the-paint mentality. The 3s we get are even better the more pressure we put on the rim. That’s something we need to continue to work on.”
Boozer builds a game
Much was made of Cameron Boozer’s start in his first college game. The freshman forward was scoreless in the first half against Texas and showed hints of irritation.
In Saturday’s game, Boozer began with a poor pass inside to Ngongba that was a turnover, then fouled WCU’s Marcus Kell on a drive.
But Boozer, as he did against Texas, built a game. The numbers came. By halftime he had 14 points and six rebounds and just missed a second double-double to start the season.
In the second half, he nailed a trio of 3-pointers, two from the left of the key and then a corner shot. He also finished with five assists.
“I was OK. I can be better,” he said in assessing his game. “I feel like I’m not playing that well right now but still affecting the game in a lot of different ways.”
One thing about both Boozers, large and small: they have a stoic demeanor, letting little bother them on the court. It will be interesting to see how that holds up in the big games to come.
A different look to the rotation
Duke coach Jon Scheyer said Tuesday that the Devils still were “figuring out” the rotations and had an interesting one Saturday when Cayden Boozer and Caleb Foster were playing together.
Cayden Boozer can run the offense and Foster can look to add offense. The two competed through preseason practice and Foster now has started games as Boozer came off the bench.
But Boozer is always in sync with his twin brother on the court as the two play off each other so well. Foster, the 6-5 junior, can match up with taller guards and can share the ballhandling duties with Boozer.
Foster had two points at halftime but picked it up in the second half with some strong moves to the basket and had nine points, six rebounds and four assists.
Cayden Boozer had 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists. At 6-4, he’s the shortest player on the Duke roster but he can help on the boards, as he did Saturday.
Late in the game, Boozer forced a turnover by simply yanking the ball out of the hands of a WCU player. Fouled, he added two free throws.
Of note: Wilkins redshirted
Scheyer said after that after discussions with Sebastian Wilkins, the 6-8 freshman from Boston will redshirt this season. Said Scheyer: “We really believe in his development. We believe it’s the right thing for him and the right thing for our program.”
This story was originally published November 8, 2025 at 3:58 PM.
