Duke basketball continued its post-Vegas winning streak, defeating Incarnate Word 72-46 on Tuesday night.
Duke got off to another slow start in the first half, with only freshman Khaman Maluach reaching double digits in scoring. The Blue Devils (8-3), missing Maliq Brown due to a toe injury, were led by Maluach with 17 points and added 7 rebounds. Isaiah Evens, off the bench, added 14 points to give Duke their fourth straight win.
Incarnate Word (5-5) dropped their 16th consecutive game against a power conference team, a streak that dates back to 2015. The Cardinals were led by Jalin Anderson and Dylan Hayman, both dropping 11 points. However, a team that shot 43% from beyond the arc going into tonight was held to 21.7% on 23 attempts.
Takeaway #1: Off-night by top names gave Maluach time to shine
Maluach had been on a five-game slump where he hadn’t scored more than nine points. The freshman from South Sudan set a career-high with 17 points. Those points include a career-high in free throws made, breaking his personal best of three in the game against Army.
They forgot about Man Man again (ACCN) pic.twitter.com/4187NgYRWa
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) December 11, 2024
“I feel like I’ve been getting more comfortable each and every game and getting better each and every game,” said Maluach after the game. That’s always my mindset going into games – how will I get better from this game? I’m gaining more experience from each and every game, too.”
His five rebounds in the first half kept Incarnate Word from building any type of sustainable momentum going into the second half.
Takeaway #2: Strong first half defense for the Cardinals
The Cardinals made Duke early every opportunity they wanted in the first half, forcing the Blue Devils to only 33.3% shooting from the field and only connecting on two three-pointers.
Jayden Williams, a freshman out of Chicago, continued to add to his blocks total by stopping three shots. He also added seven rebounds, while Greensboro, N.C. native Jordan Pyke had six boards.
Energy & Effort #TheWord | #TakeFlight | #ANYWAY pic.twitter.com/rwZF8X9yZu
— UIW Men’s Basketball (@UIWMBB) December 11, 2024
Despite Duke making a 11-0 run to start the second half and failing to score until 13:23 left in the game, lessons can be learned. Those lessons would help the Cardinals as they get deeper into Southland Conference play.
“I’m proud of the way our guys competed for moments tonight, for sure,” said second-year head coach Shane Heirman. “I thought we had a tenacity to us and toughness to us, but I mean, obviously, give Duke a lot of credit.”
Takeaway #3: Isaiah Evans provides spark off bench
Evans, a freshman out of Fayetteville, N.C., had his best game of the season in Duke’s upset of No. 2 Auburn last week. Louisville, on the other hand, was able to shut him down.
Going from a career-high to not scoring a single point could hinder a young player’s confidence. For the first half, it looked like this was the case as he only took one shot and missed.
Then, in the second half, he was able to end the slump with a powerful statement.
SLIM ON FIRE IN 2H 🔥🔥🔥
14 PTS
4-6 3PT pic.twitter.com/rlkKb2EBMB— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) December 11, 2024
“Tonight showed a lot of maturity,” said third-year head coach Jon Scheyer. “And the reality is, his approach has stayed the same. Just having Isaiah on the floor at times, even if he’s not hitting, you know that he has to be guarded.”
The fact that all but two of his field goals this season have been from beyond the arc leads credence to the coach’s statement.
Next up for Duke (8-2): vs George Mason (7-3) – Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. EST
Next up for Incarnate Word (5-5): vs. Our Lady of The Lake (NAIA member) – Dec. 15 at 4 p.m. EST