Boozer Brothers Shine: No. 1 Duke Dispatches Clemson to Reach ACC Final
Boozer Brothers Shine: No. 1 Duke Dispatches Clemson to Reach ACC Final
The top-ranked Duke Blue Devils are headed back to the ACC Tournament championship game, driven by a masterclass performance from their star freshman duo. Cameron Boozer, the newly minted ACC Player of the Year, put his full repertoire on display Friday night in Charlotte, recording 24 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists in a 73-61 victory over Clemson. Boozer’s willpower was evident as he dominated the interior and hit critical perimeter shots, ensuring the Blue Devils never lost their grip on the momentum after a decisive first-half run.
While Cameron anchored the frontcourt, his brother Cayden Boozer delivered a career-best performance in the backcourt. Starting in place of the injured Caleb Foster, Cayden scored a career-high 16 points, showing remarkable poise for a freshman in a high-pressure postseason environment. The Boozer brothers combined for 40 of Duke’s 73 points, leading a balanced attack that also saw Nikolas Khamenia contribute 14 points, including three timely 3-pointers. Duke’s victory at the Spectrum Center marks their 47th appearance in the ACC title game.
A Smothering Defensive Effort
The hallmark of Jon Scheyer’s squad this season has been an elite defense, and Clemson felt the full weight of it in the first half. The Blue Devils (31-2) stifled the Tigers, holding them to just 22 points in the opening period. Duke closed the first half on a blistering 26-6 run, a stretch where Clemson went nearly 12 minutes without a field goal. By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, Duke held a 19-point cushion, effectively neutralizing Clemson’s offensive threats and limiting RJ Godfrey, who eventually led the Tigers with 18 points.
Duke’s physical dominance extended to the boards, where they outrebounded Clemson 41-27. Cameron Boozer’s 12 defensive rebounds were the highest total by any Blue Devil in a single game this season. Freshman Isaiah Evans also stepped up on the glass, securing a career-high 10 rebounds. This interior strength has been a turning point for Scheyer, who has successfully pivoted from a perimeter-focused strategy to a more bruising, interior-based identity centered around Boozer and Maliq Brown.
The Road to a Repeat
Clemson (24-10) did not go away quietly, finding some rhythm in the second half to close the gap to 12 points with under three minutes remaining. However, Cameron Boozer extinguished any hopes of a comeback with a deep 3-pointer from the top of the key. His ability to score from the low post, mid-range, and beyond the arc has made him a matchup nightmare for every team in the conference. The win gives Duke a chance to secure their second consecutive ACC Tournament title and their third in the last four seasons.
Standing in their way is a familiar foe: the No. 10 Virginia Cavaliers. Virginia advanced to the final with a dominant win over Miami, setting up a clash of styles on Saturday night. The Blue Devils and Cavaliers have met in the ACC championship game three times previously, most recently in 2023. With the Boozer brothers playing at an All-American level and the defense ranking among the best in the nation, Duke enters the final as the heavy favorite to cut down the nets in Charlotte.
