Duke crushes Army in season opener

No. 2 Duke defeated Army 84 to 50 on Monday night, securing its 27th consecutive victory in a season-opening game. Dame Sarr led the Blue Devils with 16 points, while freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje contributed 15 points in his first collegiate game. The team also recorded 50 points in the paint and outscored the Black Knights 22 to 6 at the free-throw line.

Duke entered the season as the No. 2 team in the country, marking its 19th straight season beginning with a top-10 ranking. The Blue Devils controlled the first half with a 12-0 start and an 11-0 surge to open the second period. That second-half run extended their lead to 44-18 before Army mounted a brief 12-0 run fueled by four three-pointers. Army committed 24 turnovers throughout the contest, with Kevin McCarthy scoring 17 points for the visitors.

Boumtje Boumtje, 17, is the youngest player currently competing in Division I. Born in May 2009, he finished the game with seven rebounds and three blocked shots. Patrick Ngongba II added 10 points for Duke. The Blue Devils struggled from long range in the first half, missing all nine attempts. They connected on four three-pointers later in the game, extending the nation's longest streak with at least one made three-pointer to 1,303 games. That streak began almost 37 years ago.

Army will host Mount Saint Mary on Thursday night. Duke is scheduled to host Coastal Carolina on the same evening.