Barrett leads No. 3 Duke to 30-point win over Hartford

DURHAM, N.C. - Freshman RJ Barrett had 27 points and a season-best 15 rebounds, and No. 3 Duke pulled away to rout Hartford 84-54 on Wednesday night.

Zion Williamson added 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Tre Jones and Javin Delaurier finished with 10 points apiece to help the Blue Devils (8-1) win their third straight. Duke shot 62 percent in the second half to more than make up for hitting just five 3-pointers - matching a season low.

J.R. Lynch scored 13 points and Jason Dunne added 12 for Hartford (3-7), a 38-point underdog that hung around well into the second half before fading. Dunne's long 3-pointer pulled the Hawks within eight points with just over 12 minutes left.

Williamson then hit two free throws, Jack White followed with a steal and dunk and Cameron Reddish - who had missed all six of his 3-pointers to that point - buried a 3 in transition to give the Blue Devils their largest lead to that point at 54-39. Duke rolled from there for its fifth blowout in five home games.

BIG PICTURE

Hartford: There was plenty for the Hawks to build on in this one, and they acquitted themselves much better than their No. 215 Pomeroy ranking - or the final score - might indicate. Their zone defense flummoxed the Blue Devils on the perimeter and their hustle kept them in the game for roughly 30 minutes.

Duke: The margin of victory would indicate otherwise, but for much of this one, very little came easy for the Blue Devils - four nights after everything seemed that way in a 64-point rout of Stetson. It'll look like a blowout in the box score, but coach Mike Krzyzewski will no doubt find plenty of teachable moments during the film review.

UP NEXT

Hartford: At Bryant on Dec. 12.

Duke: Hosts Yale on Saturday.