Rising forward Cameron Boozer had a great rebound effort on Thursday as the Duke Blue Devils clinched their opening-game win against the Texas Longhorns, defeating a subdued first half to finish with a noteworthy stat line. Bozer battled early, going scoreless in the first half and missing his first seven attempts, entering the season with great expectations.
Though his first half was difficult, he came alive in the second: Cameron Boozer grabbed 15 points and 13 rebounds, grounded by strong board work and well-timed efforts. Duke found itself trailing at halftime-33-32-after an opening 20 minutes marked by erratic shooting and turnovers in the neutral-site opener in Charlotte. Duke’s recovery was fast. Early in the second half, they ran off a resounding 10-0 streak; Boozer’s efforts sustained and stretched the lead as Texas’s offense faltered.
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Encouraging Boozer to adjust his attitude, head coach Jon Scheyer had pulled him aside during the break. Boozer admitted the moment afterwards: “He told me I played soft in the first half, so I had to flip the switch.” After the intermission, Duke demonstrated more physical strength, better defense, and greater execution, therefore clarifying the group’s collective reaction. For Texas, early momentum vanished as the Longhorns shot under 33% from the field, committed 16 turnovers, and could not stanch Duke’s second-half surge.
Boozer, whose father is former NBA player Carlos Boozer, showed the characteristics that made him a top-ranked high school recruit, although with some corrections necessary following the shaky beginning. Beyond the box score, Boozer’s 36 minutes on the floor showed his fighting will on the glass, in defense, and silently imposing himself within Duke’s system. While he agreed that “the first half wasn’t me,” the second half was precisely what the Duke Blue Devils expected from their freshman superstar. Early indication comes from this opener: Boozer could falter early, but his ability to adjust and dominate once he finds his rhythm might make him among the defining freshmen of this college year.