For a half, it didn’t look like Duke Blue Devils was in control. St. John’s Red Storm came out aggressive, confident, and ready for the moment, taking a 40-39 lead into halftime and forcing Duke to play from behind.

That’s usually where things get uncomfortable in March.

For Duke, it’s where things seem to settle in.

The Blue Devils came out of the break with a different edge, flipped the game in the second half, and walked away with an 80-75 win. With it comes something that’s starting to feel routine, even if it’s anything but,  a third straight trip to the Elite Eight.

Duke found its rhythm when it mattered most

The first half was a grind. St. John’s dictated the pace and made Duke work for every look. But once the game tightened, Duke started to look like itself again. Isaiah Evans led the charge with 25 points, shooting 10-of-15 from the field and delivering when Duke needed a bucket. He didn’t force anything. He just took what was there and made it count.

Inside, Cameron Boozer controlled the game with 22 points and 10 rebounds, helping Duke win the glass 40-27. That physical edge started to show as the second half wore on. It wasn’t a huge run that decided the game. It was a series of small moments where Duke simply made better plays.

This kind of consistency stands out

Getting to the Elite Eight once takes talent. Doing it three years in a row takes something more. The tournament doesn’t usually allow for this kind of consistency. Too many variables. Too many ways for a season to end early.

And yet, Duke keeps showing up. Under Jon Scheyer, the program hasn’t lost its footing after the transition from Mike Krzyzewski. If anything, it’s stayed right where it has always been, deep in March, playing meaningful games.

That’s not easy to maintain. But Duke has made it look that way.

One more step to the Final Four

Now the stage gets even bigger. Duke is one win away from another Final Four, and the path there feels familiar. Tight games. Moments where things could go either way. And a team that doesn’t seem rattled when it does.

They didn’t play their best for 40 minutes against St. John’s. They didn’t need to. They just needed enough. And once again, that was more than enough to keep their season going.