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Cameron Boozer and No. 3 Duke knock off No. 1 Michigan 68-63 as top 2 teams lose on same day

Cameron Boozer and No. 3 Duke knock off No. 1 Michigan 68-63 as top 2 teams lose on same day | iNFOnews.ca
FILE - Duke forward Cameron Boozer dunks during the second half in an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Cameron Boozer scored 18 points and No. 3 Duke handed another neutral-site loss to fellow blueblood Michigan, knocking off the top-ranked Wolverines 68-63 on Saturday night in a raucous possible Final Four preview in the nation’s capital.

The Wolverines had won 11 straight and replaced Arizona atop the AP Top 25 this week. The now-fourth-ranked Wildcats won at No. 2 Houston earlier Saturday, making it the first time since Feb. 8, 2025, that the teams ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the poll lost on the same day.

With his dad, former Duke and NBA star Carlos Boozer, in attendance, Cameron Boozer hit a 3-pointer with 1:55 left to give the Blue Devils a 64-58 lead. Isaiah Evans added 14 points for the Blue Devils (25-2), who could return to Capital One Arena in just over a month for the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

In the programs’ first meeting in 12 years, Duke improved to 23-8 against Michigan and 7-0 on neutral courts, a series that includes the 1992 national title game. Michigan hasn’t beaten Duke since Dec. 6, 2009 in Ann Arbor.

Yaxel Lendeborg scored 21 points for the Wolverines (25-2), who had not lost since a home defeat by three points to Wisconsin on Jan. 10.

While second-year coach Dusty May’s Michigan squad has been hailed for unselfishness, Jon Scheyer’s Blue Devils showed more versatility on the offensive end. Caleb Foster scored 12 points and Patrick Ngongba II added 11 as Duke found soft spots in the Wolverines’ top-rated defense.

Meanwhile, Duke won the rebounding battle 41-28 as Michigan settled for too many one-and-done perimeter shots, going 6 of 25 from 3-point range.

Fans traded chants of “Let’s go Duke!” and “Let’s go Blue!” for the rare must-see matchup in a city starved for meaningful basketball. ESPN’s “College GameDay” was broadcast from inside the arena during the teams’ morning shootaround, and tickets for upper-level seats were selling in the $600 range in the hours before the game, with courtside seats upwards of $6,000.

Defense had the upper hand in a spirited, physical first half in which neither team led by more than five points. Ngongba was fouled while fighting for a rebound with 0.8 seconds left and made both free throws to give the Blue Devils a 35-33 lead at the break.

Surprisingly, Duke never trailed again.

Up next

Michigan: Hosts Minnesota on Tuesday night.

Duke: At Notre Dame on Tuesday night.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Cameron Boozer and No. 3 Duke knock off No. 1 Michigan 68-63 as top 2 teams lose on same day | iNFOnews.ca
FILE – Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) in action during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Maryland, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in College Park, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
Cameron Boozer and No. 3 Duke knock off No. 1 Michigan 68-63 as top 2 teams lose on same day | iNFOnews.ca
FILE – Michigan head coach Dusty May watches his team play UCLA in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Lon Horwedel, File)
Cameron Boozer and No. 3 Duke knock off No. 1 Michigan 68-63 as top 2 teams lose on same day | iNFOnews.ca
FILE – Duke head coach Jon Scheyer reacts during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against California, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Berkeley, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)

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Ben Nuckols

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