Cameron Boozer’s Double-Double Leads Duke to 78-66 Win Over Kansas in Champions Classic

When Cameron Boozer grabbed his 10th rebound with 3:12 left in the second half, the crowd at Madison Square Garden erupted—not just for the stat, but for the statement. Duke had just broken Kansas’s five-game Champions Classic winning streak, and Boozer, the 6’9” sophomore wearing #12, had done it with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and quiet dominance. The final score: Duke Blue Devils 78, Kansas Jayhawks 66. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t flawless. But it was real. And for a team many still see as "young," it was proof they’re ready to play with the giants.

A Redemption Story Written in New York

This wasn’t just another early-season showdown. It was payback. Last year, Kansas beat Duke in Las Vegas—by 12 points. That loss stung. And this time, on the biggest stage in college basketball, Duke answered. The game, part of the State Farm Champions ClassicMadison Square Garden, was billed as a battle of traditions. But what unfolded was a battle of execution. Kansas came in riding a three-game win streak, including a 76-57 drubbing of Princeton where Flory Bidunga dropped 25 points. But Duke’s defense? It turned the Jayhawks into a team that shot 38% from the field and went 4-of-15 from three.

"They’re good. They’re young again," Kansas head coach Bill Self had said before tip-off. He wasn’t wrong. But he also didn’t account for how quickly Duke’s youth had matured.

The Boozer Breakthrough

Cameron Boozer didn’t just play well—he played like a veteran. He made 8 of 14 field goals, including two key baskets in the final five minutes that silenced Kansas’s momentum. His rebounding was equally vital: 10 boards, four on the offensive glass. He didn’t need 25 points to win this game. He just needed to be there—constantly. And when he found freshman guard Cayden Boozer for a full-court alley-oop late in the second half, the arena didn’t just cheer—it gasped. That play, as noted by the Duke Basketball Report forum, was "the play of the game." And it wasn’t even his most efficient night: he’d shot 13-of-16 against Indiana State just days earlier.

But Boozer wasn’t alone. Caleb Foster, Duke’s point guard and #3, had one of his most complete halves in a Blue Devils uniform—14 points, 6 assists, zero turnovers in the first 20 minutes. And when Kansas started to creep back in the second half, it was Cayden Boozer who answered with a 12-point burst, including two clutch threes. Jon Scheyer’s nine-man rotation kept everyone fresh. Darren, Nik, and even the bench guys—every one of them contributed. That depth, more than any single star, is what made the difference.

What Kansas Couldn’t Do

Kansas’s Flory Bidunga, who’d lit up Princeton, managed just 9 points and 4 rebounds against Duke’s physical front line. Tre White, their leading scorer, was held to 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting. The Jayhawks had no answer for Duke’s switching defense, and their offense looked stagnant in the final 10 minutes. They missed six of their last seven three-point attempts. They turned the ball over 15 times. And they couldn’t stop the Duke transition game—not once.

"We played very OK," read one forum post from Duke fans. "And a handful of Kansas’ guys played some of the best basketball of their lives without their star… and we STILL won comfortably."

That’s the thing about this Duke team: they don’t need one transcendent player. They need 10 guys who show up. And on Tuesday night, they did.

The Bigger Picture: Final Four Contenders?

ESPN analysts didn’t mince words: "This team’s going to have a chance to compete for a Final Four." And they’re right. Duke is now 5-0, with wins over Army, Indiana State, and now Kansas—all by double digits. They’ve played five games in 12 days and still looked sharp. Jon Scheyer, who took over for Mike Krzyzewski in 2022, is now 31-5 in his third season. He’s not just maintaining a legacy—he’s building a new identity.

Kansas, meanwhile, faces a brutal stretch. After this loss, they’re scheduled to play Notre Dame and Syracuse—two ACC teams—in neutral-site games over the next week. That’s three straight tough matchups against conference rivals. Their early-season resume? Now looks shaky.

What’s Next?

Duke heads home to Durham with a week off before hosting Florida Atlantic on November 27. But the real test comes on December 3, when they face Gonzaga in the Battle 4 Atlantis. That’s a potential top-5 matchup. If Duke wins, they’ll be in the national conversation as a true title contender.

As for Kansas? They’ll need to regroup fast. Bill Self’s squad still has talent—Flory Bidunga, Tre White, and freshman guard Jalen Wilson are all capable of big nights. But without better shot selection and defensive discipline, they’ll keep losing games they should win.

Why This Matters

This wasn’t just a win for Duke. It was a statement to the rest of college basketball: the Blue Devils aren’t rebuilding. They’re reloading. And they’re doing it with a blend of elite talent, depth, and poise that few teams can match.

Madison Square Garden has seen legends rise. On November 18, 2025, Cameron Boozer quietly joined them.