DURHAM, N.C. — The ball was on the floor and Duke’s Sebastian Wilkins wanted it. So did John Blackwell. So they went after it in tandem, diving in unison.

The result: A fast-break basket for Cayden Boozer, a Coastal Carolina foul and a 3-point play for Duke.

Wilkins was credited with the steal on the play. Blackwell didn’t care, slapping an arm around Wilkins’ waist as the two smiled and celebrated the play.

The No. 2 Devils were on their way to a 113-52 victory as junior Patrick Ngongba II had a career scoring night and the Chanticleers a long, mostly nightmarish night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Before Thursday, Ngongba’s career high was 17 points against SMU last season. He had 18 by halftime and finished with 28 against the Chants, who couldn’t contain him with double teams or a switch to a zone defense.

On one first-half play, Boozer saw Ngongba posted up low and gave him a soft lob pass. Ngongba pulled it down, found himself surrounded and promptly muscled his way to the basket.

Early in the second half, Ngongba didn’t hesitate on an open 3-pointer from the key. Swish. Cameron erupted and Coast Carolina coach Justin Gray, his team behind 66-20, decided a timeout was needed.

Nothing could slow down the Blue Devils this night as they followed up an 84-50 victory over Army in the opener with a more compete game Thursday. Boozer had a strong overall game with 11 points and 12 assists, Blackwell had 15 points in his second Duke game, freshman Deron Rippey Jr. gave the fans another play to remember, and the place stayed loud until the end, wanting the last man off the bench, Nick Arnold, to try and score.

Duke coach Jon Scheyer said his team appeared antsy and impatient in the opener against Army when they couldn’t immediately keep adding to the lead after a 12-0 run to start the game. That wasn’t a problem Thursday against a Coastal Carolina team that won 19 games last season under Gray, who played at Wake Forest for the late Skip Prosser in the early 2000s.

The Blue Devils, shooting 56.7% from the field in the opening half, scored the first 14 points as the Chants couldn’t make a shot in the first six minutes. Duke led 16-0 despite a few shaky possessions early, then 21-2 and 27-5.

The Chanticleers were either rushing shots or turning the ball over, shooting 20.7% in the opening half as the Duke man-to-man was ferocious. One small “victory” for Coastal were back-to-back baskets that had Scheyer calling for a timeout to emphatically get a few points across to his team.

Not that Scheyer was overly concerned. It was 40-14, Duke. It would be 54-18, Duke, and halftime.

Some observations from the game:

No. 100 for Foster

When senior Caleb Foster entered the game, it marked his 100th playing appearance at Duke. That’s a rarity in an age when many athletes switch schools at will or seek better paydays elsewhere.

Foster is the consummate Blue Devil, a model of consistency and a cool head when things get heated. His experience, leadership and toughness are invaluable, and Scheyer was pleased when Foster announced in April that he would return for another season.

The Blue Devils had Boozer coming back for his sophomore season and Blackwell and freshman Deron Rippey Jr. coming in. But Foster, recently featured on the digital cover of SLAMU, wanted to be a part of another run at a national championship.

Foster got his points Thursday and provided points for others.

One downside to the night: Foster, who had 15 points, was ejected in the second half after being involved in a pair of double technicals and had to leave the bench.

Better game for Blackwell

Blackwell was spotted taking shots in Cameron late after the season opener against Army, unhappy about missing five of six shots and having more turnovers (4) and points (3).

Blackwell fired in a corner 3 early in Thursday’s game and flashed three fingers. He would go on to score 15 points, although still rushing a few things and not, as the coaches like to say, always letting the game come to him on offense.

Blackwell took a hard spill to the floor after one first-half play and banged his right elbow. But he was quickly up and back at it.

And Blackwell didn’t let up on defense. He did join Wilkins for some loose-ball floor burns.

Rippey can be spectacular

Rippey can make some spectacular plays and already has a few to savor in just two games.

In the opener against Army, the 6-3 guard made a quick behind-the-back pass to Dame Sarr for a three-point play after chasing down an outlet pass that seemed — at first — out of reach for even the most fleet.

That was just a hoops appetizer. Later, Ngongba missed a baseline shot and Rippey rose over everybody, his eyes at rim level, for a one-hand slam follow.

In the second half Thursday, he made a quick drive into the lane, took some heavy contact from 6-9, 275-pound Derrick Green and somehow got off an underhand shot with spin while falling. The ball spun off the rim and in and Rippey had a three-point play.

Game of crazy matchups

Switching defenses can create some odd matchups. Odd-looking, too.

On one first-half play, Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje found himself guarding Q Williams IV of Coastal — a 7-2 freshman vs a 5-9 freshman. Williams first made a quick fake with the ball, getting Boumtje Boumtje off his feet and getting off a shot The problem: Williams also took a few steps with the ball before putting it up. Traveling.

Late in the game, Coastal’s Jordan Buzzard, a 6-9 forward, had Rippey block his shot.

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