TL;DR
- Cameron Boozer scored a career-high 35 points, leading Duke to a 100-62 win over Indiana State.
- Boozer recorded 35 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, and 3 steals in 28 minutes.
- He became the first major conference freshman since Carmelo Anthony in 2003 with 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and one turnover.
- Boozer's performance highlights his potential as a standout freshman among a talented class.
Duke's highly anticipated freshman forward Cameron Boozer exceeded expectations, scoring a personal best of 35 points to lead the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils (4-0) to a dominant 100-62 victory over the Indiana State Sycamores (2-2) at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., on Friday evening.
Boozer performed exceptionally well across all aspects, showcasing dominant inside scoring, effective outlet passes, strong rebounding, and solid offensive play. The freshman delivered what might be considered the finest first half of the season thus far, scoring 23 points on 9-of-10 shooting. His single missed shot resulted in an offensive rebound, indicating it was a night where the freshman would shine for the home audience.
Carlos Boozer, a Duke legend and 2001 national champion, had his father present at the game to see Cameron's outstanding performance.
Beyond just scoring, the freshman sensation also contributed 12 boards, five assists, three swats, and three steals across 28 minutes played.
Boozer achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first major conference freshman since Carmelo Anthony of Syracuse in 2003 to record at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and no more than one turnover, according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello.
According to ESPN Research, Duke's Cameron Boozer is the first freshman in a major conference to achieve 30 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and no more than one turnover in a single game since Carmelo Anthony accomplished this feat in 2003.
Boozer had 35 points, 12 boards, 5 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals tonight.
Boozer appeared in arm’s distance of passing Cooper Flagg’s all-time Duke freshman scoring record at 42 against Notre Dame last season, but would be pulled late in the second half by coach Jon Scheyer.
The Blue Devils rest this weekend before their toughest of the season comes along with the No. 25 Kansas Jayhawks at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 18 in the Champions Classic.
Among a gifted group of first-year players, including Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson, Tennessee forward Nate Ament, and Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr., Boozer might emerge as the standout if showings similar to Friday's become a regular occurrence.
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