The Devil's Den: A Duke Athletics Podcast

Josh, Dustin, and Raul vent about Duke's collapse against Texas Tech. In a game where Duke led by as much as 17 and where Texas Tech was in significant foul trouble, how did the game get away from Duke? They talk about missed FTs, poor defensive coverage on Christian Anderson, and the need for a consistent second scoring option. They also discuss Cayden Boozer's recent positive play and whether he deserves a starting spot given the lack of consistent production at the wing position. Later, they turn their attention in a more positive direction. They talk about the upcoming Georgia Tech game, and how it gives Duke a chance to exorcise any linger demons. Then they reflect on a calendar year that has seen Coach Scheyer go 35-3. They each pick their favorite wins and memories from 2025. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh and Raul talk about Duke's surprisingly difficult win over Lipscomb, which was much closer than the final 97-73 score indicates. Topics discussed include: First half turnovers The way Lipscomb was able to spread Duke out and attack mismatches in isolation Darren Harris's best game of the season Needing more from the wing position Cayden Boozer's strong second half The possibility of seeing more Cayden Boozer and Caleb Foster together Then they turn their attention to Texas Tech. They talk about how injuries have impacted Texas Tech's rotation, and whether TT having to play smaller will be a benefit or a hindrance against Duke. They also discuss how to contain Christian Anderson, one of the best point guards in the country. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh and Raul are joined by Brian Geisinger of 247Sports and the Buzz Beat Podcast to dissect what Brian has seen out of Duke's offense this year. Topics discussed include: The frontcourt passing Inverted pick and rolls Zipper cuts and Duke's L series How to maximize the wing talent on this team (Evans, Sarr, Khamenia, and Harris) Sarr's defense vs. Khamenia's ball handling and decision making The dynamic between Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer The importance of Foster's defense and spot-up shooting The success Duke has had in crunch time against their best opponents Duke's steady increase in pace of play under Jon Scheyer How Cam Boozer's outlet passing can unlock certain players Then they briefly touch on the early success Kon Knueppel has had in Charlotte and how the Hornets should build the team going forward. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul break down Duke's gusty 66-60 win over Michigan State in the Breslin Center. Topics discussed include: Caleb Foster being the lead guard Duke needs in big games How Foster has separated himself from Cayden Boozer right now Cameron Boozer rallying to score 16 second-half points after hearing vulgar chants Nik Khamenia's big contributions from 3pt range and as a rebounder The defensive adjustments Duke made to slow down the two-man action between Jeremy Fears and Jaxson Kohler The legitimacy of Cam Boozer's fourth and fifth fouls Coach Scheyer's decision to switch to zone after Cam Boozer picked up his fourth foul Fears being held to 0-10 shooting after egging on the crowd What it means for this team to be sitting at 10-0 right now versus such a tough schedule The late-game execution and resolve shown by this team vs. last year's Possible concerns about free throw and 3pt shooting What they want to see from Duke over this upcoming extended break Then they wrap up the pod with a brief discussion of Duke Football's huge win over Virginia to win the ACC Championship. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the top of the pod, Josh and Dustin are joined by Josh Evans and his son Cameron to talk about the Evans' relationship with the McCain family. They describe how they met and befriended the McCains, how Cameron got to interview Jayce recently, and their experience getting an autographed 76ers jersey from Jared in his rookie season. Then Josh and Dustin break down the Florida game. Dustin was on press row for the game, and he describes the atmosphere for Cameron Indoor Stadium's first ever blackout. They talk about another big game from Cameron Boozer and debate whether this level of dependence on one player is sustainable. They analyze how Duke got out to a big halftime lead and what allowed Florida to get back in the game and eventually take the lead. They break down the final few possessions in detail, including Isaiah Evans' heroic three-point make, and how this is exactly the kind of play Duke should be running in crunch time. Lastly, they preview the big Michigan State matchup on Saturday. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul spend some time on general topics before previewing Tuesday's big matchup with Florida. Topics discussed include: More analysis of the Arkansas game How Duke has looked relative to preseason expectations Biggest positive surprises from the season so far Players they'd like to see more from Questions about Florida's backcourt How Florida will guard Cam Boozer Duke in the NBA To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh and Raul give their immediate, unfiltered thoughts on Duke's roller coaster 80-71 win over Arkansas in Chicago on Thanksgiving day. They talk Cam Boozer's monster performance, Caleb Foster's offensive aggression, and Coach Scheyer's great in-game adjustments. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul react to Duke's dominating wins over Niagara and Howard. Topics discussed include: The atmosphere in Cameron Indoor Stadium (where Dustin was on press row for the Howard game) Cam Boozer's outlet passing Pat Ngongba's big weekend Whether Isaiah Evans should shoot more Jon Scheyer's experimentation with ultra-big and ultra-small lineups Duke's increased offensive pace Nikolas Khamenia as Duke's 3rd string point guard Improved spot-up shooting from Khamenia and Cayden Boozer How Duke's defense can be just as dominant as last year's Then they turn their attention to this week's big matchup vs. Arkansas. They give their predictions and keys to the game. Lastly, they decide which classic Thanksgiving dish best represents each player in Duke's main rotation. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul react to Duke's workmanlike 78-66 victory over Kansas in Madison Square Garden. Topics discussed include: How Isaiah Evans is impacting the game in more ways than just his shooting Cam Boozer finding ways to be effective despite struggling with finishing Cayden Boozer's big second half Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer closing the game together The evolving wing minutes from Dame Sarr, Nik Khamenia, and Darren Harris Pat Ngongba being productive despite foul trouble Maliq Brown, the deflection monster The impact Flory Bidunga's second foul had on the game The upcoming game against Niagara, and random memories of Greg Paulus in a Duke uniform To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul are joined by John Watson of thedevilsden.com to react to Duke's 100-62 win over Indiana State. They talk about Duke's slow start, which saw the team down 14-4, and what allowed them to turn it around. They also discuss Cam Boozer's dominant 35-point performance, where the freshman stuffed the stat sheet while going 13-16 from the field. Next they turn their attention to recruiting. Duke just landed a commitment from Cameron Williams, the #1 power forward in the 2026 class and the #4 player overall. What will he bring to Duke and how does he fit in with the players Duke will likely have returning? Who else will Duke add to round out the 2026 class? Lastly, they preview the big matchup against Kansas? Will Darryn Peterson play? If he doesn't, is this game a must-win for Duke? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul react to Duke's 114-59 shellacking of the Army Black Knights on the road. Topics discussed include: The atmosphere and pageantry around this special Veterans Day occasion Coach K being honored The way Coach Scheyer has married the old era with the new A bounceback performance from wing players Isaiah Evans and Dame Sarr Evans as a game-breaking force Maliq Brown's defense Cam Boozer's outlet passing Duke's ability to create separation quickly The versatility of the nine-man rotation Experimenting with different frontcourt combinations The value of playing Cayden Boozer and Caleb Foster together The defensive and offensive ceiling of this team What to look for in the upcoming Indiana State matchup To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul react to Duke's 95-54 win over Western Carolina. Topics discussed include: What you can take from games against lesser opponents Duke's hustle diving for loose balls Cam Boozer going 4-9 from three Cayden Boozer's excellent performance The keys to unlocking Cayden's strengths Why Caleb Foster vs. Cayden Boozer might be a false dichotomy The offensive struggles of Dame Sarr and Isaiah Evans The ball movement of reserves like Darren Harris, Nikolas Khamenia, and Maliq Brown The announcement that Sebastian Wilkins will be redshirting Duke's upcoming game at Army (and whether Coach K will be honored in some way) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul react to Duke's gritty 75-60 win over Texas in the first ever Dickie V Invitational. Topics discussed include: Dustin's experience watching the game from press row Isaiah Evans' diverse offensive attack Cameron Boozer's strong 2nd half after a scoreless 1st half Duke's excellent team defense Dame Sarr getting the start over Nik Khamenia Maliq Brown's return from injury Foul trouble from Brown and Patrick Ngongba Difficulties with defensive rebounding Darren Harris as part of the nine-man rotation What Caleb Foster brings defensively vs. Cayden Boozer as a passer Areas to improve on in the next game vs. Western Carolina To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul preview the 2025-26 Duke Men's Basketball season. Topics discussed include: The Texas game to open the season Toughest non-conference matchup Predicted non-conference record Which game, if any, we wish was being played in a different location Predicted ACC finish Whether Duke can win the ACCT for the third time in four years Predicted NCAA Tournament seeding Whether Duke can make it back to the Final Four Random grab bag questions To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul react to Duke's 83-76 exhibition win over Tennessee. Topics discussed include: Cameron Boozer's dominant 24 pt and 23 rebound performance Isaiah Evans' diverse offensive attack First impressions of Dame Sarr Patrick Ngongba and Cam Boozer figuring out how to play together Caleb Foster's defense vs. Cayden Boozer's Whether Cam Boozer's playmaking mitigates the need for a point guard Halftime adjustments General takeaways after two exhibition games To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul are joined by John Watson of The Devil's Den to react to Duke's 96-71 exhibition win over University of Central Florida in The Brotherhood Run. They discuss Cam Boozer's dominant performance, Isaiah Evans' shot diet, Nikolas Khamenia's fearlessness, Darren Harris as a "program guy," and whether playing Boozer and Ngongba together will work longterm. Then they get John's insight on the developing 2026-27 recruiting class. Duke just landed a commitment from #12 ranked wing, Bryson Howard. What can he add to the team and who else might join him? How is this impacted by potential returning players from this year's team? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh and Raul are joined by Brendan Marks of The Athletic to talk about what to expect from the 2025-26 Duke Blue Devils. Topics discussed include: Why Duke can get back to the Final Four Biggest areas of concern for the team Possible surprise "leaps" from returning players The importance of Darren Harris as an off-ball shooter The battle for minutes at the 3 position Jon Scheyer's evolution as an offensive coach How Scheyer will approach the difficult early season schedule The need to be better than last year in clutch situations Duke's position in the ACC hierarchy You can find Brendan's writing, including articles mentioned in this podcast, here: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/brendan-marks/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul react to this year's Countdown to Craziness. Topics discussed include: Jayson Tatum being in attendance and what Coach Scheyer means when he says Tatum is going to be "helping out" with the team this season Best player intros The inclusion of a 3pt contest The move to an Elam ending in the scrimmage Overall takeaways in terms of pace and style of play The potential to space the floor from all five positions Caleb Foster as lead guard Darren Harris as high level rotation player The quiet production of Cameron Boozer The passing of the frontcourt Dame Sarr's best role on offense Nikolas Khamenia's intensity Recruits in attendance To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul ramp up for this year's Countdown to Craziness, Duke's annual variety event that kicks off the season. They discuss who will have the best player intro, who will be the scrimmage's leading scorer, and who will be this year's surprise performer. After that, they answer some questions about the 2025-26 regular season. Topics include: Reasons why Duke will win the national championship The team's biggest weakness or need Duke's most consistent eight-man rotation Weirdo lineup you'd like to see Biggest X-factor One off-the-wall prediction Player most likely to overachieve relative to expectations, a la Jared McCain or Kon Knueppel in previous seasons [Closing music courtesy of Leo Moracchioli ] To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh, Dustin, and Raul cover the second half of the tough marquee games on Duke's non-conference schedule. Will Duke be able to protect homecourt against the defending national champions, the Florida Gators? Will they be able to add to Duke's 15-3 winning margin over the Michigan State Spartans, or will a hostile road environment be too much to overcome? Does Texas Tech have the best roster to threaten Duke? How will Cameron Boozer match up with NPOY candidate J.T. Toppin? Will Elliott Cadeau, now of the Michigan Wolverines, continue his beef with Patrick Ngongba? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices