DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) — The Duke Blue Devils, one of the nation’s elite teams, used a devastating opening blitz to overwhelm the Boston College Eagles and cruised to a 67-49 victory in Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball action Tuesday night at a sold-out Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The most important part of the game was its inception. Duke established immediate and total dominance, rendering the contest effectively decided within the first five minutes. The Blue Devils opened the game on a 16-0 run, a stretch defined by suffocating defense and efficient transition offense that left the Eagles reeling and unable to mount a credible challenge thereafter.

Boston College, which entered the game having lost three of its last four, missed its first six shots from the floor and committed three turnovers before finally scoring at the 14:59 mark of the first half on a Fred Payne layup. By then, the tone was irrevocably set. Duke’s defensive pressure was relentless, converting Boston College’s early mistakes into easy baskets. Cameron Boozer scored seven of Duke’s first nine points, including a three-pointer and a dunk off a steal, while Patrick Ngongba provided a formidable interior presence with an early block and multiple rebounds.

The statistical disparity from that opening salvo echoed throughout the evening. Duke finished the first half shooting 60% from the field and led 42-27 at the break. The Blue Devils scored 13 points off 11 Boston College turnovers in the half and outscored the Eagles 38-18 in the paint for the game. Duke’s defensive effort was comprehensive, holding Boston College to 38.5% shooting overall and a paltry 25% from three-point range. The Eagles managed only two assists against 11 turnovers, a telling indicator of Duke’s disruptive defense.

Boozer, the sophomore forward from Miami, led all scorers with 19 points, adding two assists. He was a constant force, particularly in the first half, and grabbed a game-high seven defensive rebounds. Isaiah Evans contributed 12 points, three assists and a block, while Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba each added eight and nine points, respectively. Duke’s balance was evident as ten different players scored, and the team dished out ten assists on 24 made field goals.

Boston College was led by Fred Payne’s 14 points, but the guard also accounted for five of his team’s turnovers. Boden Kapke added seven points. The Eagles never found an offensive rhythm, posting an offensive rating of just 81.3 points per 100 possessions, a season-low mark against a Duke defense that has been among the nation’s best.

With the victory, Duke improved to 21-1 overall and 10-1 in ACC play, maintaining its position atop the conference standings. The Blue Devils have now won nine consecutive games since their lone loss to Texas Tech in December. Boston College fell to 9-13 overall and 2-9 in the conference, extending its current losing streak to three games.

The announced attendance was 9,314 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke will next travel to face archrival North Carolina on Saturday in a marquee ACC showdown. Boston College returns home to host Miami on Saturday, looking to snap its skid.

The game’s outcome was never in doubt after the initial minutes, fulfilling the pregame expectations where Duke was projected with a 99.4% probability to win by Interstat’s ELO system. The Blue Devils covered the pregame spread, though the total score of 116 points fell well under the over/under line of 133.5, a testament to the defensive nature of the contest, particularly Boston College’s struggles to score.