The Duke basketball program improved to 5-0 on the young season after securing a 78-66 victory over No. 24 Kansas in the State Farm Champions Classic. It certainly wasn't the prettiest 40 minutes of basketball that fans have seen from the Blue Devils this season, but winning the free throw line and making the right plays down the stretch was enough for the team to escape with its ninth straight win at Madison Square Garden.
Cameron Boozer was dominant once again, going for a team-high 18 points to go along with 10 rebounds and five assists in 34 minutes of action. Defensively, the Blue Devils had their struggles in the first half with Flory Bidunga as a roller, along with Kansas cutters in general. But, after Duke got Bidunga in foul trouble, sending him to the bench, the Blue Devils ended the half on a 17-5 run. With Kansas star freshman Darryn Peterson out, the contest was closer than many anticipated, but Duke still walked away with a win.
Let's take a look at the most glaring observations from Duke's first ranked victory of the season.
4 crucial observations from Duke basketball's win over No. 24 Kansas
1. Dame Sarr has one glaring issue to his game
Italian freshman Dame Sarr has only gotten better as the season has gone on, both as a shooter and defender. He might be the Blue Devils' best all-around defender, but there's one glaring issue that needs to be addressed: the free throw line. Duke has been dominating teams on the charity stripe so far this season, but Sarr has really struggled to knock them down. The 6'8" wing has converted on just 9-of-18 (50%) of his free throw attempts to begin the season, which is strange for as elite a shooter that Sarr is, as he's shooting 48.3% from the field and 42.1% from three. Sarr went 1-of-3 (33.3%) at the line against the Jayhawks.
2. Duke is clicking as a unit offensively
Duke began exhibition play and the regular season with its defense far ahead of its offense, but that gap is shrinking, and the ball movement for the Blue Devils was great against the Jayhawks in the Champions Classic. The Blue Devils assisted on 17 of 27 made field goals while only committing eight turnovers. Additionally, seven guys scored five or more points, and Duke secured 18 bench points. Boozer is this team's go-to guy offensively, but he doesn't force anything because of how good a passer he is. The star freshman did a phenomenal job manipulating doubles by Kansas, immediately kicking it out for shooters or cutters to the basket for an easy two. Duke only shot 7-of-26 (27%) from three, but shot 47% as a team from the field.
3. Caleb Foster is Duke's best perimeter defender
Caleb Foster looks like his freshman year self on the offensive side of the ball, beginning the 2025-26 campaign averaging 8.6 points on 47.1% shooting from the floor and 43.8% shooting from three. But his most effective trait for the Blue Devils so far has been his tenacious perimeter defense. There was a period in the second half where Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. was single-handedly getting the Jayhawks back into it, utilizing his speed and ultraquick first step to blow by Duke's wings and get to the basket. Then, Foster came in off the bench and completely shut it down. The junior moves his feet so well and keeps his chest in front of drivers better than anyone on the team against guards. It won't show up in the stat sheet, but Foster's defensive play was a massive key to success.
4. Cameron Boozer's best trait may be his passing
Duke's potential No. 1 overall 2026 NBA Draft pick is leading the team in points, rebounds, assists, and blocks, but his passing might be his most important trait for the Blue Devils this season. Boozer is averaging 4.4 assists on the year, tallying at least three in every game so far. But it's how he always makes the right pass, as well as his patience, that really separates him as the team's best passer. Boozer did an excellent job against Kansas, manipulating double-teams to find open teammates and always keeping his eyes up in the post. Boozer looked to find teammates in the middle of the floor where it was difficult for help to arrive, and it led to several easy baskets, and if not a basket, it got the defense rotating so Duke could reset while Kansas was scrambling. Not all of Boozer's elite finds ended up in assists, but it was a critical part of Duke's win.