Sometimes a player doesn’t just score points—they completely flip the momentum of a game. That’s exactly what happened when Isaiah Evans caught fire against Auburn, turning what looked like a dangerous start for Duke into a showcase of shooting brilliance.
Fans might remember the bigger picture: Duke defeated Auburn last season in the ACC/SEC Challenge. But what tends to slip under the radar is how close this contest was early, and just how vital Evans’ breakout performance proved to be. The Tigers stormed out of the gates with confidence, jumping to a 13-2 lead and threatening to overwhelm the Blue Devils before the game even settled into rhythm. For Duke, it was a wake-up call—someone needed to respond.
That someone turned out to be Evans.
The freshman guard quickly showed why so much excitement surrounded his recruitment. He began to line up his shot from deep, and once he saw the ball go through the net, there was no stopping him. By halftime, Evans had racked up 18 points, with all of them coming from behind the arc. He went an incredible 6-for-8 from three-point range, torching Auburn’s defense every time they sagged off or failed to close out aggressively.
It wasn’t just the points themselves, but the timing of them. Each shot seemed to come when Duke needed it most. Auburn’s defense had rattled Duke early, but Evans’ confidence seemed to settle his teammates. His barrage of threes allowed the Blue Devils to erase that early 11-point deficit, eventually turning it into a 43-36 halftime lead. The momentum swing was dramatic, and Evans’ shooting was the catalyst.
Interestingly, Evans didn’t score in the second half. Auburn made adjustments, and Duke relied more on its balance and depth to close out the victory. But the lack of second-half points hardly diminished Evans’ impact. In truth, the damage had already been done. His performance in the first half not only gave Duke control of the scoreboard, but also injected belief and rhythm into a team that was on its heels in the opening minutes.
Games like this often stand out because they represent more than just numbers in a box score. For Duke fans, Evans’ performance was an early sign of his potential as a game-changer. His ability to rise to the moment, hit shots under pressure, and swing momentum in Duke’s favor showed flashes of a player who could be a vital weapon in big games for years to come.
Looking back now, that Auburn game feels like the first real glimpse of what Isaiah Evans could bring to Duke basketball. It wasn’t just shooting—it was momentum, poise, and the kind of confidence that can turn the tide of a high-stakes matchup.