Cameron Boozer delivered when it mattered most. The Duke freshman made two crucial free throws with 3.9 seconds remaining to seal a 74-70 ACC Tournament title win over Virginia, earning him the MVP award for the tournament.
Boozer was recently named The Sporting News National Player of the Year and earned both ACC Player of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year honors. Leading the ACC in scoring at 22.7 points per game and rebounding at 10.2 rebounds per game while shooting 58.3% from the field, the Miami native is having one of the best freshman seasons in college basketball history. He's the highest-rated player in KenPom Player of the Year Standings history since 2011 with a rating of 3.253.
What makes Boozer's tournament MVP even more impressive: he had his worst game of his freshman season, shooting just 3-of-17 from the floor for only 13 points. Still, he finished with eight rebounds and eight assists alongside those 13 points as Duke's 74-70 championship win over Virginia showcased the Blue Devils looking like a championship team even without Boozer at his best. His twin brother Cayden Boozer stepped up with 16 points, matching his career high for the second straight night, while Isaiah Evans scored 20 points.
Duke captured their second consecutive ACC Tournament Championship with a 32-2 overall record and 20-1 ACC mark. The Blue Devils are likely to be the No. 1 overall seed heading into the NCAA Tournament, where Boozer is expected to be a top contender for the 2026 NBA Draft. NBA scouts have centered early debate on three prospects: Boozer, Kansas' Darryn Peterson, and BYU's AJ Dybantsa for the No. 1 pick. For now though, what matters to Boozer is that his team cut down the nets and next up is a push for a national title.