Duke takes down Texas to open 2025-26 season with win
By Luke Greco
Published:
In the first-ever Dick Vitale Invitational on Tuesday night, Isaiah Evans scored 23 points to lead all scorers and help No. 6 Duke take down Texas, 75-60.
After an emotional introduction for Vitale, a college basketball legend who returned to ESPN after a long battle with cancer, the action tipped off. Freshman phenom Cam Boozer, son of former NBA star Carlos Boozer, also made his official college basketball debut with a bang.
The first half started slowly for both teams as defense was the star. Duke struggled the entire first half to get looks from inside the 3-point line. Duke ended the half making 11 of 29 shots, and 6 of those were from behind the 3-point arc. Evans connected on 4 triples in the first half, giving him 15 points going into halftime.
On the other end, Texas struggled to make an outside shot in the first half. The Longhorns were 2 of 8 from the 3-point line.
Boozer was not quite the star many expected in the first half. The freshman struggled to get any open looks and finished the half with 0 points on 0-7 shooting.
At the half, Texas led 33-32 over the Blue Devils.
The second half was dominated by the Blue Devils as Boozer got rolling. Duke outscored Texas 43-27 in the second half and did most of its work from the free throw line. Duke was 18-of-22 from the free-throw line in the second half alone.
Boozer had a much different second half and finished with 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Texas was led by 16 points from Dailyn Swain, and 15 each from Jordan Pope and Matas Vokietaitis. After 3 successful seasons at Xavier, Sean Miller made his Texas debut in a defeat.
Duke plays Western Carolina on Saturday.
Texas faces Lafayette at home the same day.
