Duke played shorthanded, with Tyrese Proctor out due to injury and Cooper Flagg taking an inadvertent finger to the eye during a scramble for the ball. The Blue Devils flexed their muscle and played physical.
Florida State played shorthanded, with Malique Ewin out due to injury and freshmen Daquan Davis and Alier Maluk in foul trouble in the first half. The Seminoles did everything they could to flex their muscle but were overwhelmed early and throughout the game in Durham, N.C.
Jamir Watkins scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half. He tried to be aggressive early on the offensive end, but Duke had too much talent and used a significant rebounding edge to take an 100-65 win over FSU on Saturday night. Watkins shot 8 of 18 from the floor, adding eight rebounds.
Duke finished with a 49-32 rebounding edge, including an astounding 21 offensive rebounds. FSU played without its top rebounder, Ewin, and Maluk sat for a large chunk of the second half in foul trouble.
The Seminoles (16-13, 7-11 ACC) lost their third straight game, including back-to-back double-digit losses to UNC and Duke.
Likely the ACC player of the year — and as a freshman — Flagg returned from injury in the second half and finished with 16 points on 5 of 9 shooting. Isaiah Evans also had 19 points as Duke (26-3, 17-1) won its sixth straight game.
It was the first time an opponent scored 100 or more points against the Seminoles since Louisville did it in Feb. 2024.
FSU wasn't able to do much to disrupt Duke on the defensive end. Justin Thomas had two of FSU's three blocks, but the Seminoles didn't have a steal.
Duke had just four turnovers, but all came in the second half.
Jerry Deng had 12 points, drilling 3 of 4 3-pointers. Davis had eight points and two rebounds, while AJ Swinton finished with seven points.
Maluk started and played 10 minutes. He had no points and one rebound.
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