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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Coming off a career-high 16 points in Duke basketball's semifinal win over Clemson, Cayden Boozer once again delivered for the Blue Devils.
The freshman matched his career high in top-seeded Duke's (32-2) 74-70 win over No. 2 seed Virginia on Saturday, March 14, to claim back-to-back ACC regular-season and tournament titles. Fourteen of his points came in the first half, and his only points in the second half – a putback layup with two minutes remaining – gave Duke a lead it held on to for the remainder of the contest after 16 lead changes.
Boozer played all 40 minutes against the Cavaliers.
"To play 40 minutes against Virginia when they're pressing you the whole game was just an incredible performance, man," Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. "Incredible."
The freshman jumped into a starting role after Caleb Foster fractured his foot in Duke's regular-season finale against UNC on March 7. He made just his fifth start in Duke's tournament opener against Florida State, going 1-of-5 from the field in the first half but finishing with nine points, including a key putback late.
"To be able to have the adversity in the first half of that game and be able to just figure it out in that game, I think was just really important to be prepared for that because it might happen again in the tournament," Boozer said.
Duke now awaits its fate on Selection Sunday, where its projected as the top overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
"This was big goal of ours since the summer to win an ACC championship and just to be able to do it with the group that we have is really special," Boozer said.
FROM CLEMSON WIN: Cayden Boozer, Nik Khamenia deliver when Duke basketball needed it most
FROM THE WIN: Duke basketball holds on to take down Virginia, claims ACC championship: Score, highlights
Anna Snyder covers Duke for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her @annaesnydr on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Cayden Boozer steps up for Duke basketball in ACC Tournament
Continue reading...
The freshman matched his career high in top-seeded Duke's (32-2) 74-70 win over No. 2 seed Virginia on Saturday, March 14, to claim back-to-back ACC regular-season and tournament titles. Fourteen of his points came in the first half, and his only points in the second half – a putback layup with two minutes remaining – gave Duke a lead it held on to for the remainder of the contest after 16 lead changes.
Boozer played all 40 minutes against the Cavaliers.
"To play 40 minutes against Virginia when they're pressing you the whole game was just an incredible performance, man," Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. "Incredible."
The freshman jumped into a starting role after Caleb Foster fractured his foot in Duke's regular-season finale against UNC on March 7. He made just his fifth start in Duke's tournament opener against Florida State, going 1-of-5 from the field in the first half but finishing with nine points, including a key putback late.
"To be able to have the adversity in the first half of that game and be able to just figure it out in that game, I think was just really important to be prepared for that because it might happen again in the tournament," Boozer said.
Duke now awaits its fate on Selection Sunday, where its projected as the top overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
"This was big goal of ours since the summer to win an ACC championship and just to be able to do it with the group that we have is really special," Boozer said.
FROM CLEMSON WIN: Cayden Boozer, Nik Khamenia deliver when Duke basketball needed it most
FROM THE WIN: Duke basketball holds on to take down Virginia, claims ACC championship: Score, highlights
Anna Snyder covers Duke for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her @annaesnydr on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Cayden Boozer steps up for Duke basketball in ACC Tournament
Continue reading...
