Former Duke basketball player Derryck Thornton, who transferred to Southern Cal after his 2015-16 freshman campaign and then to Boston College for this season as a graduate, gave his Eagles a 2-0 lead on a layup 11 seconds into his highly anticipated return to Durham on New Year's Eve.
The Eagles (8-6, 2-1 ACC) never led again. Thornton finished with six points — on 3-for-12 shooting — and only one assist.
No. 2 Duke (12-1, 2-0 ACC) benefitted early and often from the hot hand of its freshman power forward. Matthew Hurt fueled a 45-19 halftime lead by tying his career-high 20 points — while outscoring Boston College on his own — with a 3-pointer heading into the locker room for the break.