Duke freshman forward Cameron Boozer was a human highlight reel when the No. 1-seeded Duke Blue Devils battled the No. 2-seeded UConn Huskies in an Elite Eight East Region contest on Sunday at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
. Still, it ended in heartbreak as UConn’s Braylon Mullins hit a 3-pointer with seconds left, giving the Huskies a 73-72 win.
Cameron Boozer Lights Up the Scoreboard for Duke
Boozer, who’s getting eyeballs on him from NBA scouts, was just one of three double-digit scorers for Duke.
With Boozer active on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, the Blue Devils were taking control over UConn head coach Dan Hurley’s Huskies in the second half. In the end, though, it was the Huskies who got the win and a trip to the Final Four.
Boozer finished with 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. Cayden Boozer, Cameron’s brother, also reached double digits with 15 points and 6 assists in the Elite Eight showdown.
With the win, UConn now goes to the Final Four.
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UConn was making a comeback in the second half, closing the gap to 65-58 with 6:07 left in regulation. As the Huskies got closer, Boozer did his best to keep the Blue Devils ahead.
In the second half, CBS cameras caught Boozer getting some assistance with a bruise that formed on his right cheek. A Duke medical staff member had a can of cold soda in his hand, rubbing it right on that bruised area on Boozer’s face.
CBS Sports play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle, who was calling the Duke-UConn game alongside Grant Hill and Bill Raftery, had a funny quip when cameras caught Boozer getting some aid. “He’s like a boxer that went to his corner,” Eagle said.
“He’s like a boxer that went to his corner.” -Ian Eagle on Cameron Boozer pic.twitter.com/Apgvy9acXk
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 29, 2026
Boozer played a big role in helping Duke establish some dominance in the first half as the Blue Devils went to the locker room with a 44-29 lead. But the Huskies made a run in the second half, trying to close the gap.
During the 2025-26 season for the Blue Devils, Boozer averaged 22.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. He also shot 55.9% from the floor, along with 39.6% from beyond the 3-point arc. Boozer was excellent at the free-throw line, too, hitting 79.0% of his shots from the charity stripe.
Boozer is a 6-foot-9, 250-pounder who comes from Miami, Florida. He played extensively against the Huskies as Duke head coach Jon Scheyer sought to have his freshman star stand out. Boozer was doing his best to make that happen, even more so after the Huskies closed the gap in the second half.
In the end, though, the Blue Devils were sent home thanks to Mullins’ heroics.
