Cameron Boozer and the Duke basketball team experienced one of the most implausible and painful defeats in March Madness history when UConn’s buzzer-beater defeated them 73-72, eliminating them from the Elite Eight. While the multiple-time-player-of-the-year award winner does not make excuses, the Blue Devils’ collapse near the conclusion of that game may have been due to the fact that Boozer sustained face injuries during the game.
“Projected top-3 selection Cam Boozer told me he had a few fractures” around his orbital/eye region and opted to “forego surgery,” according to college basketball expert Adam Zagoria, who attended the US Basketball Writer Player of the Year press conference.
UConn center Eric Reibe struck Boozer in the eye with an elbow in the first half of the Final Four game. The injury gained additional notice when cameras spotted the Duke basketball trainer rolling a bottle of Coca-Cola over Boozer’s eye to help minimize the swelling.
Despite the handicap, Boozer had 27 points and 10 rebounds, matching his season averages of 24. 5 points and 10. 2 rebounds. However, as a team, Duke scored 44 points in the first half before collapsing with 28 points in the second, resulting in a 19-point loss.
Boozer is definitely devastated by this terrible defeat, but he will now have to turn his attention to the 2026 NBA Draft in June. The 18-year-old prodigy, and the son of former Duke and NBA player Carlos Boozer, should be no worse than the third or fourth choice in the next draft. The 6-foot-10 freshman has yet to declare for the draft, but his departure to the pros is widely anticipated.
