DURHAM, N.C. — There was something for just about everyone wearing a Duke jersey Tuesday night.
Marvin Bagley III’s 21 points led five Duke players in double figures as the top-ranked Blue Devils pounded visiting St. Francis (Pa.) 124-67 at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Duke (11-0) compiled a school-record 34 assists while posting its second home blowout in four days in advance of its Atlantic Coast Conference opener this weekend at Boston College.
“I didn’t expect to win like this,” said Duke guard Trevon Duval, who provided 11 assists. “It was our game.”
Marques Bolden (17 points), Wendell Carter Jr. (15), Grayson Allen (14) and Gary Trent Jr. (14) added to the scoring, while Javin DeLaurier and Alex O’Connell both contributed nine points.
“We needed a game like this,” Allen said. “It was cool seeing a bunch of good moments.”
Thirteen Duke players scored, including freshman guard Mike Buckmire’s crowd-pleasing three-point play late in the game.
“We were all connected,” Bagley said. “We played the right way, and everyone got involved.”
Bagley’s 11 rebounds gave the freshman forward a ninth double-double. Bolden had 10 rebounds.
Duke had a 100-54 advantage with 8:32 to play, reaching the century mark for the first time this season after eclipsing 90 points six previous times.
“We played well and so hard,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “Nobody got into their own game. They were into our game.”
Trent hit a pair of 3-pointers and Carter scored five points in Duke‘s opening 12-1 burst. Six minutes into the game, the margin grew to 26-5. The Blue Devils built a 30-point lead in just more than 10 minutes.
“Certainly it was a daunting task to try to keep their post players and their size away from the rim,” St. Francis coach Rob Krimmel said. “Their ability to finish around the rim is what I think they do best right now.”
The 71-34 halftime score left the Blue Devils one point shy of the team record for points in a half. Still, it topped Duke‘s largest halftime margin of the season — that was set at 26 points Saturday against South Dakota.
Bolden, a sophomore center, matched his career high by halftime with eight points.
Duke shot better in the second half (62.9 percent) than the first half (57.8 percent) from the field. All those assists helped.
“It shows we’re sharing the ball more and it also means guys were making shots,” Duval said.
Duke had 12 offensive rebounds in the first half to the Red Flash’s 13 total boards at that juncture. The final rebound tally was 61-25.
Jamaal King, Andre Wolford and Keith Braxton all scored 13 points for St. Francis (3-5), which has three of its last four games. Wolford, who made eight 3-point baskets in a two-point loss Saturday at Stony Brook, was 3-for-10 from long range Tuesday.
Krimmel called it a worthwhile experience for the Red Flash.
“I want to thank Coach Krzyzewski,” he said, “for allowing our guys to come down and experience what I feel is the mecca of college basketball. … This is something our guys will remember for the rest of their lives.”
NOTES: This marks the 134th week that Duke holds a No. 1 ranking, matching UCLA for the most of any Division I men’s team. … Duke G Grayson Allen played in his 50th victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium. … This was the first meeting between Duke and St. Francis. … The game marked the second time St. Francis faced a top-ranked team, a loss to Notre Dame in January 1974 the other time. … In St. Francis’ first two victories this season, the Red Flash allowed 56 and 54 points, so Duke topped those marks in the first half. … Duke‘s next game comes Saturday afternoon with its Atlantic Coast Conference opener at Boston College. … St. Francis goes to Niagara on Saturday.
