Isaiah Evans ready to keep delivering for Duke basketball after career-best showing

The Duke men's basketball team is back on track with a big-time win over the Florida State Seminoles, securing the Blue Devils' second win in conference play so far this season.

In the matchup, which ended in a 91-87 victory for Duke, sophomore point guard Isaiah Evans had the game of his lifetime, scoring a career-high 28 points to push his team to victory.

Afterwards, it was unsurprising when the CBS Sports courtside crew decided to interview Evans, and he had the perfect response with most of the ACC schedule still on the horizon.

"This isn't the same ACC as last year. Every game is gonna be a battle, everybody wants to prove that they belong," Evans told CBS's Bill Raftery. "I feel like a lot of games are gonna look just like this.

Isaiah Evans blossoming as a sophomore leader

Evans is one of the more experienced players on Duke's roster this year, with most of last year's squad heading to the NBA. His veteran status on the court has been priceless for a team filled ot the brim with talented true freshmen like Cameron Boozer, Dame Sarr, and more.

"I can do a lot of things, it's just a part of playing a role and doing what's expected of you at the time," Evans said. "This year, I feel like my role is a little bit extended, so it's time for me to put the ball on the floor more."

Last year, Evans came off the bench in most games for the Blue Devils, as legends like Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel filled the starting roles as freshmen.

Throughout the first 14 games of the season, Evans has started in every matchup and averaged 13.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 0.8 steals per game, nearly tripling or quadrupling every stat line from last season.

With the win over Florida State, Duke improved to 13-1 overall and 2-0 against ACC opponents. On Tuesday, Jan. 6, the No. 6 Blue Devils are set to take on the No. 16 Louisville Cardinals at 7 p.m. ET, and the game will be aired on ESPN.