The top-seeded Duke Blue Devils used a dominant first half and a standout performance from Cameron Boozer to defeat the Clemson Tigers 73–61 in the semifinals of the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament on Friday night.
Boozer, the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, delivered a complete performance with 24 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, leading No. 1 Duke into the tournament championship game for the second consecutive year.
The Blue Devils (31-2) will now face the Virginia Cavaliers, ranked No. 10 nationally, in Saturday night’s title game after Virginia defeated the Miami Hurricanes 84–62 in the other semifinal.
Boozer showcased the versatility that has made him one of the nation’s most dominant players. The freshman star scored from nearly every spot on the floor — operating in the low post, hitting mid-range jumpers and knocking down three 3-pointers. He even handled the ball at point guard at times while controlling the glass.
With Boozer leading the way, Duke dominated the boards 41–27, helping the Blue Devils control the pace throughout the night.
Cayden Boozer, starting in place of the injured Caleb Foster, added a career-high 16 points, while Nikolas Khamenia chipped in with 14 points for Duke.
The game was tight early, with Clemson trailing just 16–15 midway through the first half. But Duke seized control late in the period.
Three-pointers from Dame Sarr and Darren Harris sparked a 14–2 run that pushed the Blue Devils into double digits. Duke’s defense then suffocated the Tigers down the stretch.
Clemson went 1-of-15 from the field over the final 12 minutes of the half and missed its final 10 shots as Duke closed the period on a 26–6 run to take a commanding 41–22 halftime lead.
The Tigers (24-10) regrouped after halftime and began to chip away at the deficit. Clemson gradually trimmed the margin and cut the lead to 12 points with about 2½ minutes remaining.
But Boozer ended any hopes of a comeback when he drilled a deep 3-pointer from the top of the key, pushing the lead back out and sealing Duke’s spot in the championship game. RJ Godfrey led Clemson with 18 points.
With the win, Duke will play for its second straight ACC Tournament championship and third title in the last four years.
The Blue Devils will meet Virginia in the title game, a team they handled earlier this season with a 77–51 victory on Feb. 28 at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Clemson now turns its attention to the upcoming NCAA Tournament, where the Tigers will await their seeding on Selection Sunday. Meanwhile, Duke will look to finish its impressive run in the ACC with another dominant performance and add another trophy to its growing collection.
