Duke Star Cameron Boozer Drops 22-Point Double-Double, Sets Stage for Epic Clash with No. 1 Michigan

College basketball’s spotlight shifts to Washington, D.C., on Saturday night when phenom forward Cameron Boozer leads No. 3 Duke against top-ranked Michigan at Capital One Arena. The freshman has turned a marquee non-conference matchup into must-see television by putting together one of the most statistically dominant debut seasons in recent memory. Boozer’s historic pace • The 6-foot-9 Miami native is averaging an ACC-best 22.8 points and 10.0 rebounds, making him the nation’s fifth-leading scorer and one of only two Power-Five players posting a 20-10 line this year. • He has logged at least 14 points, five boards and two assists in all 26 games—the longest such streak by any Division I player, man or woman, this century. • Boozer already owns two 35-point outbursts and 14 double-doubles, prompting early chatter that he could become the first freshman since Zion Williamson to sweep ACC Player and Rookie of the Year honors. Why the buzz peaked this week 1. Showdown with No. 1 Michigan: Saturday’s neutral-site clash pairs the top two teams in the NET rankings and could decide the inside track to the overall No. 1 seed in March. Duke is 22-8 all-time versus the Wolverines and 6-0 on neutral floors, but this will be their first meeting with both programs ranked inside the top three since 1992. 2. National Player-of-the-Year narrative: Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg and Boozer sit atop most award watch lists; the head-to-head adds fuel to an already viral debate. 3. Pop-culture crossover: Boozer became a featured character in NBA 2K26 this week, a rare mid-season honor that underscores his soaring star power. Scouting the matchup • Duke boasts top-10 ranks in both offensive (126.1) and defensive (89.5) efficiency, while Michigan is one of only two teams matching or exceeding those numbers, setting the stage for a high-level chess match. • Look for Boozer to test Michigan’s elite rim protection led by 7-foot-3 Aday Mara (2.7 bpg) and to draw out forward Lendeborg with his face-up game. • Duke’s advantage on the glass (+9.8 rebounding margin) starts with Boozer, whose nose for the ball fuels Jon Scheyer’s transition attack. Legacy in real time Boozer—son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer—arrived on campus with sky-high expectations and has somehow exceeded them. He reached 300 points, 150 rebounds and 50 assists in just 16 games, the second-fastest clip of any player this century. Win or lose Saturday, his trajectory has NBA scouts projecting him as the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2027 draft. What’s next Tip-off is 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, and ticket demand has pushed resale prices above $600. A signature performance against Michigan could vault Boozer from trending name to household superstar as the calendar turns to March.