LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Interstat) — On a night defined by a dramatic reversal of momentum, the Duke Blue Devils overcame a double-digit halftime deficit with a dominant second-half performance to defeat the Louisville Cardinals 84-73 in an Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday at a sold-out KFC Yum! Center.

A crowd of 17,656 saw the visiting Blue Devils, who entered as slight underdogs despite their superior record, improve to 14-1 overall. Louisville fell to 11-4.

The most important part of the game was unquestionably the stark contrast between the two halves. Louisville, fueled by a blistering start from Ryan Conwell and sharp three-point shooting, controlled the opening period. The Cardinals built a lead that grew to as many as 13 points, heading into the locker room with a 47-38 advantage. They connected on 10 three-pointers in the first half, with Conwell scoring 17 of his team-high 24 points before the break and Aly Khalifa adding 12 on perfect 4-for-4 shooting from deep.

The second half, however, belonged entirely to Duke. The Blue Devils emerged from halftime with intensified defensive pressure, disrupting Louisville’s offensive flow. The Cardinals, who shot 12 of 38 from three-point range for the game, went cold, managing only two three-pointers after halftime. Their offensive efficiency plummeted, scoring just 26 points in the final 20 minutes on 26.5% shooting from the field.

Duke’s offense, meanwhile, found its rhythm. The Blue Devils methodically chipped away at the lead, tying the game and then pulling away with a 17-4 run midway through the half. Their defense generated 11 steals and forced 14 Louisville turnovers, which they converted into 19 points. After allowing 47 points in the first half, Duke’s defense clamped down, holding Louisville to its lowest-scoring half of the season.

Cameron Boozer led all scorers with 27 points, adding four assists and three steals. The sophomore forward was instrumental in the comeback, scoring 15 points in the second half and making key plays at both ends. Isaiah Evans provided crucial support with 23 points, including three three-pointers, and a game-high four steals. Caleb Foster added 20 points for Duke, with 16 coming after halftime.

For Louisville, Conwell’s 24 points led the way, but he was held to just seven in the second half. Khalifa finished with 17 points, all in the first half, and Adrian Wooley contributed 11. The Cardinals’ offense, which had an offensive rating of 97.7 for the game, was stifled after the break, managing only nine field goals.

Duke’s victory was built on efficiency, scoring 84 points on 76 possessions for an offensive rating of 110.1. They shot 50.9% from the field overall and, despite struggling from three-point range at 7 for 23, compensated by making 19 of 28 free throws and winning the turnover battle.

The win extends Duke’s strong start to conference play and sets up a rematch with Louisville in Durham on Jan. 26. The Cardinals will look to regroup when they host Boston College on Saturday, while Duke returns home to face SMU the same day.