Duke’s blowout win over Notre Dame on Tuesday wasn’t just another display of the team’s dominance in the ACC; it was a statement. Jon Scheyer’s team dropped the hammer on the Fighting Irish with a 44-point historic win, handing the latter a reckoning at home they never predicted. And yet again, it was Duke’s shining freshman: Cameron Boozer, whose first half performance even left the fans in disbelief.

The reality set in during the first half of the game, when Boozer’s individual stat line and Notre Dame’s scoreline looked strikingly similar. While the Fighting Irish had just 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists, Boozer alone had 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists. In all possibilities, the Duke forward could have outmatched Notre Dame and also completed his double-double if he had played the entire 20 minutes.

“Cameron Boozer’s stat line in the first half is almost the same as the entire Notre Dame team 😮”

Boozer finished his night with 24 points and 13 rebounds as the Blue Devils handed Notre Dame its worst home loss since 1898. The 44-point deficit at the Purcell Pavilion ranks second to the Fighting Irish’s 56-point loss in the program’s first official game against the First Regiment of Chicago. Notre Dame’s game was plagued by defensive errors and indiscipline, resulting in 34 free throw points. Notre Dame’s shooting was also cold, as they made just 37% from open play and 27% from deep.

With Patrick Ngongba and Cameron Boozer’s two precise two-pointers, Duke immediately took charge after tipoff, and from that onwards, Notre Dame was left chasing. The Blue Devils finished the first half with a 32-point lead, thanks to Boozer’s flurry.

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The NCAA community was quick to highlight Boozer’s staggering performance that almost outmatched an entire team.

Fans Heap Praise on Cameron Boozer’s Near-Perfect First Half Performance

“Cameron Boozer really outscored an entire D1 program in 20 minutes… please check on Notre Dame fans,” a fan wrote.

“**Cam Boozer = whole Notre Dame?! Absolute monster 🔥🏀**” stated another. 

Many fans, including these ones, were shocked by how the first half of the game turned out. We’ve seen players like Christian Anderson score 20+ points in the first half with ease in this season; it isn’t new. But despite that, Cameron Boozer’s performances carried a different sort of weight. After all, it isn’t every day that a player has nearly outmatched a top D1 team like Notre Dame. And for context, Boozer didn’t even take the entire 20 minutes as head coach Jon Scheyer subbed him out twice in the first half.

Boozer scored four times from open play, just two less than the entire Notre Dame team. His scoring prowess was further led by the Fighting Irish’s lack of discipline on the court. The team frequently fouled Boozer, sending him to the free-throw line 12 times in just the first half. The Duke freshman converted 10 of them with immense precision to complement his field goals.

“Cameron Boozer out here playing 5v1 like it’s practice,” chimed in another.

The comment perfectly frames how elite his first-half performance was. No turnovers in the entire minutes with a consistent offensive press says a lot about his standards. Notably, the Notre Dame defense does have several top players in Brady Koehler and Logan Imes, suggesting that he faced substantial resistance from the opposition on paper, but on the court, Boozer’s skills and pace were no match for the Fighting Irish.

“That kid is built different. Matching a whole team by halftime is not a fluke, that is a generational talent announcing himself to anyone still sleeping on him,” wrote another.

There’s absolutely no doubt that Boozer is one of the top prodigies of NCAAM basketball among his peers. Headlining the top five scoring leaders in the nation (averaging 22.6 ppg and ranking fifth) as a freshman is already an impressive feat, let alone the possibility of going as a favorite for being a top pick at the 2026 NBA draft.

Calling him impressive isn’t a unique take at all, though. Even top coaches like Sean Miller have expressed awe of Boozer’s performance. “I think he’s one of the best players in the country,” Miller said following Duke’s first game of the season against Texas. “I’d have a hard time believing there’s a freshman that is any better. … His ability to rebound is amazing.”

For now, Boozer’s NBA possibilities are a tale for another day. Right now, his attention is on the 2025-26 collegiate season as he looks to carry Jon Scheyer’s team to glory at the March Madness next month. The Duke Blue Devils are 26-2 and 14-1 in the season and have three games remaining in the regular season: No. 11 Virginia, NC State, and No. 18 North Carolina.