The Clemson Tigers fell to the fourth‑ranked Duke Blue Devils, 67–54, on Saturday afternoon in Durham, ending Clemson’s brief stay atop the ACC standings and snapping a program‑record 14‑game conference road winning streak. The defeat also extended Clemson’s decades‑long drought inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, where the Tigers haven’t won since 1995.
In a showdown between the ACC’s top two defensive units, both teams opened with the level of physicality expected from a high‑stakes matchup. Clemson
established its identity early by attacking the paint, scoring its first 10 points at the rim, including six from RJ Godfrey, while Duke countered from the perimeter. The Blue Devils knocked down three early three‑pointers from Isaiah Evans, Caleb Foster, and Dame Sarr, allowing them to hold a narrow lead throughout much of the first half.
A pivotal early moment came just four minutes into the game when Godfrey drew a foul on Duke forward Patrick Ngongba, sending the freshman to the bench with his second foul. Despite the potential opportunity, Clemson failed to capitalize. Duke tightened its interior defense, and the Tigers’ perimeter struggles continued as they connected on just one of their nine three‑point attempts before the break. Even with a cold shooting half—just 32% from the field—a strong three‑point play by Butta Johnson helped Clemson stay within striking distance, heading into the locker room down 31–26.
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Clemson unraveled after halftime, overwhelmed by Duke’s relentless on‑ball pressure and unable to generate any rhythm in what became one of the Tigers’ least efficient offensive halves of the season. The Blue Devils opened the period on an 11–2 run, staying red‑hot from deep with three‑pointers by Isaiah Evans and freshman standout Cameron Boozer. Clemson, meanwhile, mirrored its first‑half struggles, starting just 1‑for‑8 from the field and missing its first four attempts from beyond the arc — falling to 1‑of‑13 from three over the game’s first 25 minutes.
From there, Duke’s All‑American forward Cameron Boozer took complete control. In what felt like a blink, the Blue Devils’ lead had swelled to 21 points with 10 minutes remaining. Clemson’s backcourt never found an answer for Duke’s ball pressure, as rushed drives and forced mid‑range attempts became the story of the half. Dillon Hunter, Jestin Porter, and Butta Johnson combined for just 12 total points on 4‑for‑15 shooting, leaving the Tigers without the guard play needed to mount a comeback.
Carter Welling led Clemson with 12 points on efficient 4‑of‑7 shooting, while RJ Godfrey contributed 10 points and eight rebounds, though eight of his points came before halftime. Boozer again anchored Duke with 18 points on 7‑for‑14 shooting, and Isaiah Evans added 17 points, including four made threes. Cayden Boozer joined them in double figures with 12 points as Duke pulled away behind a 48% shooting performance in the second half. Clemson finished the afternoon at just 35% from the field and 6‑for‑24 from deep.
Clemson now turns its attention to a Wednesday night road matchup at Wake Forest, hoping to regroup and halt the skid before it gains further momentum. Tipoff from Winston‑Salem is set for 7 p.m.
