Cameron Boozer tallied 18 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block, powering Duke past Michigan State 66-60 on Saturday night at Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan. Boozer’s dominant play caught the eye of former champion coach Tom Izzo, who offered him high praise after the game.
Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo Showers Praise on Duke Forward Cameron Boozer After Prolific Performance
Boozer’s fifth double-double sparked Duke’s offense in a tight contest neither team controlled until the final minutes. The Blue Devils closed with an 11-5 run, moved to 10-0, and earned their third straight win over a Top 25 non-conference opponent, a program first.
After the game, Izzo praised Boozer’s calm composure, despite a poor first half with only two points.
“I think the respect I have for Duke, for Jon (Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer), for his program, for Boozer, how calm he was,” he said. “It didn’t seem to bother him that he didn’t get any shots the first half; that tells you a lot about their program and the players in that program.”
Boozer showed patience after a tough first half, coming back to score 16 points in the second. One highlight was a 3-pointer made by the 6’9″ forward at the 12:08 mark. That shot had Izzo regretting his decision to put Cam Ward on Boozer, the son of Duke alumnus and NBA veteran Carlos Boozer.
“Boozer is a man. He missed shots, that’s what we said, sometimes his best shot is the missed shot, because he goes from missing a short one to getting a rebound and laying it in. And he did that very well,” Izzo said.
MORE: Duke Blue Devils Send 2-Word Message Reacting to Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel Winning NBA Award
The three-pointer Boozer hit in the second half not only tied the game at 45-45, but it also allowed the Blue Devils to outscore Michigan State 26-15 and shut the door on any hope the Spartans had of winning the showdown. Equally impressive was Boozer hit the triple from NBA distance, giving some scouts a glimpse of what he can do in the professional ranks when he places his name in next year’s draft.
Tom Izzo Gives One Distinct Quality That Proves Cameron Boozer Is a Cut Above the Rest
Izzo has been to various NCAA tournaments and battled against Naismith Award winners, one-and-done phenoms, and late-blooming standouts. What set Boozer apart on Saturday, however, was his composure and ability to impact the game in multiple ways that Izzo had not seen in other players.
The Michigan State coach said scouts view the forward as always in control and unlikely to beat himself up over a bad play. He noted Boozer’s NBA bloodline and strong coaching under Jon Scheyer make him special from the start.
“He can beat you with the pass, the dribble, the rebound, and the 3-point shot; there aren’t many guys that we’ve ever played against (like that),” he said.
The coach blamed himself for not finding a way to stop Boozer from dominating the offensive glass in the second half. He felt this cost the team valuable possessions that could have changed the game’s outcome.
Michigan State will have a week off before facing Big Ten foe Penn State on Saturday, December 13, at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pennsylvania. The Nittany Lions are 8-1 and on a three-game winning streak, having defeated Boston University, Sacred Heart, and Campbell.
