The Duke Blue Devils are back in action for their first regular-season game of the 2026-27 season, hosting Army on Monday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and the first half was a little shaky.
Duke, the No. 2 AP Top 25 team and one of the favorites to win the NCAA Tournament, leads 33-18 at the break.
Duke Didn’t Shoot Well in the First Half
The Blue Devils didn’t shoot well from the 3-point range in the first half, going 0-for-9. Army wasn’t great from the 3-point line either, going 2-for-15.
One thing that helped save Duke in the first half was its defense; it recorded 10 steals and shot 9-for-11 from the free-throw line. In contrast, Army went 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, giving the Blue Devils many more chances to score.
Duke did get off to a 12-0 start, so it was a little underwhelming that it let Army keep it so close.
Duke forward Dame Sarr led the Blue Devils in scoring in the first half with seven points.
The Blue Devils Have a Tough Road Ahead
Duke has this game against Army, followed by a matchup with Coastal Carolina on Thursday. After that, the Blue Devils will face their first tough test of the season on Nov. 10 when they travel to Chicago to take on No. 6 Michigan State at the United Center.
The Blue Devils currently have four top-10 matches before the calendar hits Dec. 2. After Duke plays Michigan State, it will host No. 2 Illinois on Nov. 17. Then, the Blue Devils will head to Las Vegas to play No. 4 UConn on Nov. 25, followed by an away game against No. Florida on Dec. 1.
Duke will face a lot of tough tests, which is good news for a team looking to win its first NCAA title since the 2014-15 season.
Losing early in November is better than losing in March, and Duke will be able to figure it out before the Blue Devils enter ACC play in late December.
Duke Faces Tough Challenge in First Half of Season Opener Against Army