Cameron Boozer's Strengths, Weaknesses Shown in Win Over Kansas

Cameron Boozer's game was on full display in Duke vs. Kansas Tuesday night.

Nov 18, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) reacts against the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

On Tuesday night, the fifth-ranked Duke Blue Devils took on No. 24 Kansas, with most hoping to see fireworks between top prospects in Cameron Boozer and Darryn Peterson.

While the Kansas guard wasn’t able to play due to a hamstring injury, Duke’s forward in Boozer got plenty of burn in a takedown of the top-25 Jayhawks.

Duke won out, 78-66, though the final score doesn’t quite paint a picture of just how close the game really was. With just a few minutes remaining, Kansas would cut the lead to just four, standing out on the defensive end in shutting down Duke scorers.

Despite that, Boozer finished with a stellar line, going for 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in the 12-point win.

Boozer’s 34 minutes against Kansas highlighted both the highs and lows of his overall game.

Starting with the latter — which is a much shorter list — Boozer again struggled to create his own shot, continuing to look a little more stiff in comparison to a player such as wing AJ Dybantsa. His 18 points came on 17 shots, and it was clear the physicality of the Kansas bigs worked in some capacity. 

Additionally, Boozer failed to register a steal or block, though Duke saw a great defensive effort overall.

But Boozer’s negatives also point to one of his best traits — he finds ways to impact the game even when the shot isn’t falling. Time and again, Boozer was doubled by the Jayhawks, and showed off quick processing and recognition in making the right pass. He finished with five assists to two turnovers, but created plenty more general opportunities within Duke’s offense. 

Additionally, Boozer’s rebounding continues to be a real weapon, as four were offensive, thus earning Duke more chances at scoring.

In summation, while Boozer has seen a few less-than-efficient outings now, it's also highly unlikely Duke remains undefeated without him. And there's plenty of time left for him to figure things out from a scoring perspective.

NBA teams are certain to still value Boozer's potential as an all-around forward, potentially even as high as No. 1, though he'll have real competition there. His combination of scoring, defense and rebounding will especially lend itself to the NBA, where teams won't be able to double him like the college level.

Duke next takes on Niagara and Howard, before another ranked matchup in No. 21 Arkansas on Thursday, Nov. 27.