No. 4 Duke men's basketball returns home for a contest against Incarnate Word Tuesday evening. After 20 minutes, the Blue Devils still have some work to do, only leading the Cardinals 28-21:

Duke is missing arguably its best defender, Maliq Brown, who is sidelined with an injured toe. Brown's rebonding, stealing and shot-blocking prowess has been crucial for the Blue Devils this season. His impact was on full display during Sunday night's game against Louisville, where he dominated the boards with 11 rebounds. This required Duke to lean more on Patrick Ngongba II and Mason Gillis, but starter Khaman Maluach had an impactful first 20 minutes in Brown's absence.

The Blue Devils were off to a slow start once again, shooting just 3-of-12 from the field in the first five minutes. Adding to their early struggles, they had three early turnovers compared to the Cardinals' one, disrupting their offensive rhythm. It looked like Duke would turn it around when Tyrese Proctor drained a three to put the Blue Devils up by five, but they could not capitalize on the momentum. Another detriment to Duke's rhythm early on was the lack of rebounds early. The Blue Devils tower over the Cardinals, but the visitors were still able to tally seven offensive rebounds.

Turnovers plagued the Blue Devils in the first half, as they let up the ball seven times, stalling their offense and allowing Incarnate Word to capitalize on transition opportunities. For a team that thrives on efficiency and ball movement, typically averaging 10.2 turnovers per game, the unforced errors were costly, making it difficult for Duke to sustain momentum.