Duke's defense slips while stacking wins against ranked foes

Duke topped No. 24 SMU 82-75, extending its streak against ranked opponents, but coach Jon Scheyer said the defense has slipped recently and shown communication and rotation gaps. Duke’s earlier elite potential has cooled into a more inconsistent effort, though perimeter stopper Dame Sarr has emerged as a potential fix, creating a helpful defensive surge and multiple steals that could stabilize the unit as the team pursues deeper success.