Despite his team almost collapsing at halftime, Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer willed his squad to a resilient victory in their most recent matchup on the national stage. On Thursday, March 19, Boozer and the rest of coach Jon Scheyer‘s Blue Devils faced coach Gerry McNamara’s Siena Saints in the first round of the 2026 NCAA tournament on neutral grounds, the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
Boozer led his team in scoring, as he finished with an overall stat line of 22 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, and a block in 39 minutes of playing time.
To open their March Madness run this year, Boozer was looking to pick things up from the get-go, as he connected on a three-pointer immediately at the 18:25 mark. Unfortunately for him, this would be his only three-pointer of the game, as the Siena Saints quickly found the right adjustments to limit him. Boozer’s next six points all came from the free-throw line as he could not find the means for a field goal.
With the Saints’ defense getting to him, the first-year standout knew he had to respond strongly. Boozer’s next field goal, as he focused on playmaking momentarily, came at the 6:37 mark of the period, as he swished in a floater. From thereon, the Durham, North Carolina-based program continued to trail as Boozer aimed to find his groove towards the end of the first half. Despite his efforts, Duke was down 43-32 at halftime.
Heading into the second period, Boozer and company knew an upset was imminent if they did not pick themselves up. As such, the son of NBA legend Carlos Boozer contributed on the defensive end to stop the Saints’ charge by altering shots and rebounding. Finding other ways to be effective, Boozer found points in the rhythm of the game, whether it was through the foul line or easy points near the hoop.
It was a close game up until five minutes to go in the second period, as the Blue Devils snatched the lead from Siena and did not look back after that. Boozer’s free throws continued to extend the lead for his side, and his team kept pounding on the Saints. Eventually, Boozer’s final points came from the charity stripe once again, as he sealed the six-point triumph, 71-65, to eliminate Siena from the national tournament.
Here is Cameron Boozer’s final stat line in the first round of the 2026 NCAA tournament:
| Player | MP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG | 3-PT | FT | TO | PF |
| Cameron Boozer | 39 | 22 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4-11 | 1-5 | 13-14 | 5 | 1 |
The Duke Blue Devils Were Down By 11 Points Against The Siena Saints At Halftime
As mentioned, Cameron Boozer and the Duke Blue Devils were down by 11 points, 43-32, against the Siena Saints.
This came as a surprise to many, especially since Duke is the No. 1 seed in the country. Still, the Blue Devils pulled away with the fortuitous victory to advance to the second round, where they will face the TCU Horned Frogs on Friday, March 20.
Read More: Cameron Boozer Stats Today – How Did Duke Star Perform in Close Win vs Florida State Seminoles As Jon Scheyer’s Team Reach ACC Tournament Semifinals?
Also Read: Cameron Boozer’s GF Yva Lauren Cao Celebrates Dad’s Special Day With Heartwarming Gesture
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