Duke’s march through the ACC Tournament nearly hit a dramatic roadblock Thursday night, but the Blue Devils escaped with a razor-thin victory.
Top-seeded Duke edged Florida State 80–79 in a tense quarterfinal matchup in Charlotte, surviving a late scare and a potential buzzer-beating upset attempt. The win keeps Duke’s postseason run alive and sends the Blue Devils into the semifinals.
Isaiah Evans powered the Duke offense with a standout performance, scoring 32 points and knocking down seven three-pointers. His scoring burst set the tone early and helped keep Duke within reach when Florida State briefly controlled the game.
Freshman Cameron Boozer added another impressive outing with 23 points and 10 rebounds, anchoring Duke inside and providing key plays in the closing minutes. Duke managed the win despite missing two key contributors, Patrick Ngongba II and Caleb Foster, who were sidelined with injuries.
Florida State refused to go quietly. The Seminoles led by one point at halftime and consistently found ways to pressure the Blue Devils throughout the game. Lajae Jones led the effort with 28 points, while Robert McCray V contributed 25 and nearly delivered the game’s defining moment.
Duke’s advantage on the boards proved decisive. The Blue Devils controlled the glass and used a powerful second-half run to flip the momentum after trailing earlier in the game.
Still, Florida State battled back and cut the deficit to a single point in the final minute. With time winding down, the Seminoles had one last opportunity to steal the game, but McCray’s contested three-point attempt at the buzzer fell short.
The narrow escape sends Duke into the ACC Tournament semifinals, where the Blue Devils will face Clemson as they continue their push toward another conference title.