Duke Blue Devils Dominate Syracuse Orange at JMA Wireless Dome
The Duke Blue Devils, with a season record of 0-0, secured a convincing victory over the 17th-ranked Syracuse Orange, who now stand at 0-1. The final score read 58-45 in favor of the visitors.
At the JMA Wireless Dome, the Blue Devils demonstrated their dominance early on by outscoring the Orange in the first quarter with a solid performance that set the tone for the rest of the game. The second quarter saw an even more impressive display from Duke as they extended their lead by putting up an additional 21 points against Syracuse's six. The offensive effort was complemented by a robust defense that held strong throughout.
The Blue Devils' statistics reflect their comprehensive control over proceedings. They were particularly effective inside, scoring 36 points in paint and adding another 18 through second-chance opportunities. Their shooting from two-point range was efficient at 54 percent success rate, contributing significantly to their overall field goal percentage of 42 percent.
On defense, Duke amassed a total of eight steals and three blocks while maintaining discipline to keep foulouts and ejections at zero. They also dominated on rebounds with an impressive count of 52 compared to Syracuse's total rebound count of just half that number.
Syracuse did manage to put up some resistance after halftime, matching Duke's scoring in both third and fourth quarters but it wasn't enough to close down what had become a substantial deficit. Despite managing more steals than Duke with twelve takeaways and converting them into twenty-four points off turnovers, they struggled with shooting accuracy across all fronts – only making eleven two-pointers out of forty attempts (28 percent) and hitting just three out of sixteen attempts from beyond the arc (19 percent).
Looking ahead for fans eager to support their team once again: The next game for Duke will be held at Cameron Indoor Stadium against North Carolina State Wolfpack on February 25th at 5:30 PM Eastern Time. This home game can be caught live on ACC Network for those who wish to follow along as it unfolds.