Cameron Boozer cracks list of great Duke freshman outings

Freshman Cameron Boozer has already made it onto a database of all-time large Duke performances successful conscionable his 4th assemblage game

DURHAM, N.C. -- Freshman Cameron Boozer has already made it onto a database of all-time large Duke performances successful conscionable his 4th assemblage game.

Boozer’s 35 points for the fourth-ranked Blue Devils came successful Friday night’s 100-62 triumph implicit Indiana State.

That tied the second-most points successful a crippled for a Duke freshman down lone Cooper Flagg’s 42 past play against Notre Dame.

“Just his approach,” Duke manager Jon Scheyer said. “He’s specified a competitor.”

Boozer shares the 35-point freshman people with Zion Williamson (2018-19) and Jared McCain (2023-24). Boozer’s output was 1 much constituent than Marvin Bagley III (2017-18) and J.J. Redick (2022-23) had successful their archetypal seasons with the Blue Devils.

“When I’m focusing connected the close things similar defense, rebounding, pressuring the ball, the different things people happen,” Boozer said. “Just truly reasoning astir what tin I bash each play.”

The others successful the apical 5 connected the program’s single-game freshman scoring database person been first-round NBA Draft selections, including Williamson and Flagg astatine No. 1 overall. All but Redick, manager of Los Angeles Lakers, are progressive NBA players.

Boozer made 13 of 16 shots signifier the field, connecting connected some 3-point shots. He wasn’t rather arsenic creaseless astatine the free-throw line, going 7 for 11.

“I don’t cognize however you could beryllium much efficient,” Scheyer said. “I deliberation his 3 misses, helium got each the rebounds and scored them.”

Boozer besides provided squad highs of 12 rebounds and 5 assists. He dominated successful the lane against the smaller Sycamores.

“He gets it down successful the paint, he’s going to onslaught the rim, it’s hard to halt him,” teammate Caleb Foster said.

Boozer is averaging 22.5 points per crippled going into Tuesday night’s matchup vs. No. 25 Kansas successful New York.

“He has specified a bully mode astir him,” Scheyer said. “I conscionable deliberation it speaks to his character. I really privation him to beryllium much assertive with his scoring. I thought helium was doing a large occupation of getting others open.”

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