It certainly wasn't pretty, but the Duke basketball program was able to bounce back from a very ugly first half against Lipscomb on Tuesday night, improving to 11-0 on the season with a 97-73 victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils committed 16 turnovers in the first half alone, more than they've coughed up in any game this season, and surrendered a 26-6 run to the Bisons. Duke entered the halftime locker room with a 48-45 lead before outscoring Lipscomb 49-28 across the final 20 minutes. Jon Scheyer's group only committed six turnovers in the second half and went back to looking like one of the best defensive teams in the country.
The Blue Devils were on a ten-day break between games heading into the contest against the Bisons, leaving them rusty, specifically on the defensive end of the floor. Lipscomb went 13-of-14 from the free throw line in the first half and continued to capitalize on Duke's mistakes. This was a tune-up game for the Blue Devils, as they head to Madison Square Garden on Saturday to take on No. 19 Texas Tech.
4 critical observations from Duke basketball's win over Lipscomb
1. Firstly, Duke fans shouldn't react to the ugly first half
Duke played by far its sloppiest defensive half of basketball of the entire season so far, allowing Lipscomb to shoot 45.2% from the field and 40% from three through the opening 20 minutes. The Blue Devils had by far their longest stretch between games, and a little rust shouldn't be worrisome for fans heading into the marquee matchup against the Red Raiders. After allowing 45 points to the Bisons in the first half, Duke held Lipscomb to just 28 in the second half on 33.3% shooting from the field and 23.1% shooting from three. The Blue Devils also allowed just six free throws to Lipscomb in the second half, after allowing 14 in the first.
2. Maybe Duke doesn't need to find a Robin
The biggest storyline around Duke so far this season is the lack of a consistent second scoring option behind Cam Boozer. In more than one of the Blue Devils' high-major matchups, Boozer has single-handedly carried them offensively down the stretch in tight games. However, Duke put on display how much scoring depth it has against the Bisons, and if it can continuously get contributions from a bunch of different guys, there doesn't necessarily have to be a true Robin. The Blue Devils tallied 37 bench points, eight of the nine guys who checked into the game scored at least six points, and all nine tallied at least one assist. If Scheyer can get consistent production from his bench, that takes pressure off guys like Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster to consistently put together double-digit scoring outings.
3. Maliq Brown proved he's much more than just a defensive centerpiece
Maliq Brown might be the best defender in college basketball, but he rarely looks for his own offense. Against Lipscomb, he proved he can be just as much of a spark plug on offense as he is on defense. The 6'9" senior tallied 11 points, a season-high, on 5-of-6 shooting to go along with nine rebounds, including six offensive boards, in 21 minutes. Brown stays in the dunker's spot in a lot of offensive action, but at times, he's almost too unselfish, passing up easy looks to kick it out to teammates. He didn't register a single double-digit scoring night throughout the 2024-25 campaign, and Tuesday night was his second of the 2025-26 year. If Brown can provide a consistent offense off the bench, that will transform this team completely.
4. Duke found its go-to attack when it falls into a deficit
Duke looked solid offensively, shooting 52% from the field as a team against Lipscomb en route to dropping 97 points. But it's clear what the biggest advantage for the Blue Devils will be when they fall into a deficit against more formidable opponents: the glass. Duke out-rebounded Lipscomb 55-21 overall and 20-3 on the offensive glass, which turned into 26 second chance points for the Blue Devils. Scheyer's group is one of the biggest and longest teams in the nation, and when it treats attacking the glass as a five-man job, it will consistently find itself with more than one scoring opportunity per offensive possession.