On a night that felt like it belonged in late March, not late February, Duke and Michigan gave the nation a glimpse of what could be waiting in the Final Four. In a packed Capital One Arena, with ticket prices soaring and “College GameDay” in the building, it was Cameron Boozer who owned the moment.
The freshman star scored 18 points and hit the dagger 3-pointer with 1:55 left, lifting No. 3 Duke past No. 1 Michigan, 68-63. It was everything a 1-versus-3 showdown should be — physical, tense and decided by poise.
A Boozer moment in the spotlight
With his father, former Duke standout Carlos Boozer, watching from the stands, Cameron Boozer stepped confidently into a late 3 that pushed Duke’s lead to six. The shot felt inevitable. The arena erupted. Michigan never fully recovered.
Boozer wasn’t alone. Isaiah Evans added 14 points. Caleb Foster chipped in 12. Patrick Ngongba II provided 11 and a steady interior presence. But it was Boozer who looked most comfortable when the pressure tightened.
Duke improved to 25-2 and looked every bit like a team capable of cutting down nets in April.
Michigan’s streak snapped
Michigan entered the night riding an 11-game winning streak and sitting atop the AP poll. The Wolverines had reclaimed the No. 1 ranking earlier in the week and carried themselves like a team that expected to stay there.
Instead, they ran into a Duke squad that attacked their strengths.
Yaxel Lendeborg led Michigan with 21 points, but the Wolverines struggled from deep, shooting just 6-for-25 from beyond the arc. Even more damaging was the rebounding margin. Duke dominated the glass 41-28, limiting Michigan to too many one-and-done possessions.
For a team praised all season for discipline and unselfishness, the Wolverines looked rushed late. A few untimely mistakes were all Duke needed.
Physical from the tip, controlled by Duke late
The first half was exactly what you would expect from two top-three teams. Bodies hit the floor. Every rebound was contested. Neither side led by more than five points.
Ngongba’s two free throws with less than a second remaining gave Duke a 35-33 halftime edge. It was a small swing, but it mattered.
Surprisingly, Duke never trailed in the second half. Every time Michigan threatened, the Blue Devils answered, a mid-range jumper, a second-chance bucket, a defensive stop.
It felt less like a February nonconference showcase and more like an East Regional preview.
A national ripple effect
Earlier in the day, Arizona knocked off Houston. With Michigan’s loss, it marked the first time since February 2025 that the teams ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the AP poll both fell on the same day.
That kind of chaos is usually reserved for March.
Instead, college basketball fans got a reminder that this season has no clear runaway favorite. Duke now strengthens its case as perhaps the most complete team in the country. Michigan, still 25-2, remains firmly in the national title conversation, but Saturday exposed areas that must tighten up.
March came early
From the alternating “Let’s go Duke!” and “Let’s go Blue!” chants to courtside seats reportedly pushing $6,000, the energy in Washington was unmistakable. This wasn’t just another high-profile game. It was a measuring stick.
Duke passed.
Michigan learned.
And if these two bluebloods cross paths again in a month, no one will be surprised.