Marvin Bagley III’s 16 points and 15 rebounds fueled No. 7 Duke as the Blue Devils turned in a huge response after a weekend upset loss by pounding host Pittsburgh 87-52 on Wednesday night at Petersen Events Center.
Duke shot 53.1 percent from the field but will probably feel better about the defensive work.
Duke was coming off a 96-85 setback Saturday night at NC State, with the Blue Devils vowing to make improvements on defense.
Pittsburgh’s point total was the second-fewest allowed by Duke this season.
Trevon Duval and Gary Trent Jr. both scored 14 points, Grayson Allen had 11 points and Wendell Carter Jr. and Justin Robinson each posted 10 points for the Blue Devils (14-2, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Jared Wilson-Frame tallied 17 points and Parker Stewart scored 10 points for Pittsburgh (8-9, 0-4), which remained the only ACC team without a conference victory. Thirty of the Panthers’ points were scored by reserves.
Pittsburgh shot 4-for-22 on 3-point attempts.
Duke was hurt by 7-for-18 shooting on free throws. That included Bagley’s 2-for-8 mark. He had nine of his rebounds on the offensive end.
Carter hobbled off with a first-half injury, but he returned.
The Blue Devils, who lost their two previous conference road games, secured a 50-24 halftime edge. Duke had given up at least 40 points in the first halves of its other three ACC games.
Pittsburgh shot 1-for-9 on 3-point tries in the first half, when it committed 10 of its 15 total turnovers.
Duke had eight 3-point baskets in the first half, while the Panthers had nine total field goals.
Duke bolted to a 7-0 lead just 79 seconds into the game, resulting in a Pittsburgh timeout. It was 10-0 before the Panthers scored more than four minutes into the game.
The margin grew to 43-13 slightly barely more than 16 minutes into the game.
Duke played without Javin DeLaurier (hamstring) and Marques Bolden (knee), who have been the most-used players off the Blue Devils bench this season.
