Isaiah Evans connected on a go-ahead 3-point shot with 21 seconds remaining and Cameron Boozer scored 29 points as No. 4 Duke won its first high-profile home game of the season, topping No. 15 Florida 67-66 in the ACC/SEC Challenge on Tuesday night in Durham, N.C.
After Evans’ basket, his first made 3-pointer of the night on eight attempts, teammate Caleb Foster came up with a steal. While Foster missed a free throw in the final seconds, the Gators never got off another shot.
Evans finished with 13 points for the Blue Devils (9-0), who were 7-for-26 on 3-pointers and watched the Gators collect 20 offensive rebounds. Duke held a 15-point lead in the final minute of the first half.
Thomas Haugh poured in 24 points for Florida, which overcame horrific first-half shooting to pull even down the stretch eventually. Boogie Fland hit clutch shots late in the game to finish with 16 points and Alex Condon added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Condon and Fland scored on back-to-back shots to cut the gap to 59-57 with just over four minutes to play. Fland had the next basket to draw the Gators even at the 2:39 mark before Boozer countered with a 3-pointer to end the Blue Devils’ scoring drought that extended just beyond three minutes.
Duke had gone nearly five minutes without a field goal. The Blue Devils were 0-for-9 on second-half 3-point attempts until the Boozer connection.
Fland and Boozer traded baskets before Condon hit two free throws with 1:11 to play as Duke held a 64-63 lead.
Florida got a stop and Fland drained a 3 with 35 seconds to play, giving the Gators a lead for the first time since they were up 13-12. After a Duke timeout, Evans launched what became the winning 3.
Florida used a 14-4 run to begin the second half to create tense moments.
Duke led 36-24 at halftime as Boozer racked up 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting. Haugh kept the Gators in it with 13 points.
