One of the most anticipated games of the entire NCAA bracket came to fruition in the Elite Eight for fans to witness. Two blue-blood programs and powerhouses in UConn and Duke clashed for all the marbles, and the game did not disappoint one bit.
With spectacular performances, a tight finish, and a thrilling end, the game had all the drama that gives March Madness its fame. After the game, it was the Blue Devils’ star player, Cameron Boozer, whose emotions poured out after a heartbreaking loss.
Cayden Boozer’s Turnover Moves Brother Cameron Boozer to Tears in Elite Eight
It was Duke all the way in the first half. Behind a dominant showing from Cameron, who finished the game with 27 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks, they led by as many as 19 points late in the first half.
However, Duke went ice-cold from that point forward as UConn chipped away at the lead. Still, with less than a minute left in the game, the Blue Devils held a 70-66 advantage that should have gotten them home.
That’s when classic March Madness came into effect. Following a disastrous turnover by Cameron, Alex Karaban was able to take advantage with a 3-pointer. After missing his first five 3-point attempts on the night, he made it count when the shot mattered the most.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t going to be a sweet ending for the Boozer brothers. The Huskies’ starting lineup, outside of a superstar performance from Tarris Reed Jr., shot at a clip of 32.5% from the field and a dastardly 19% from 3-point territory.
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But two of their five made 3-pointers came in the final minute. The second came off another Duke turnover. This time around, it was Cayden Boozer, who got the ball near half-court and tried to move it up.
Unfortunately, the ball got tipped and landed straight in UConn’s hands. From there, Karaban gave the ball to Braylon Mullins, who shot it from near the logo.
“It just felt like the window where you’ve just got to let March Madness take over,” head coach Dan Hurley said. “March magic.”
The score read 73-72 in the Huskies’ favor, with four-tenths of a second remaining on the clock. The ensuing heave from Duke did not result in a shot, and Hurley’s squad was alive for a possible third NCAA title in four years.
The No. 1 overall seed in the nation, on the other hand, had its season end in heartbreak. And it was evident from the second-generation superstar power forward after the game. Speaking at the press conference, his emotions were clear as day.
“Honestly, this whole year has been a huge blessing. I came here, and I learned so much,” Cameron Boozer began. “We were so connected all year. I love those guys. We worked so hard.”
Speaking about the roster turnover, he gave all credit to the coaches for bringing the new group together.
Duke had five returning players and five freshmen who were integrated into the unit over the course of the season. And head coach Jon Scheyer handled that transition perfectly. Still, for the time being, the sting of loss remained a huge blow to Boozer.
“I learned so much this year, I’m never going to take it for granted. I’m just super thankful for it all. I’m hurting right now, we’re all hurting. I wish I could’ve gave more for those guys.”
The Blue Devils squad was an extremely motivated group all season long. Whether it was Caleb Foster returning from injury to slug it out or the team rallying to a 14-game win streak en route to the Elite Eight, they had incredible resiliency. But Cameron Boozer had shown out for his team on the biggest stage. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out to be enough.
The nation might remember the two critical turnovers in the final minute by the Boozer brothers. But their overall performance was a huge reason Duke was able to emerge as a top-level contender in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
