As the Duke Blue Devils gear up for the NCAA Tournament, all eyes are on their point guard situation-a storyline that took an unexpected turn with Caleb Foster's injury. Foster’s broken foot in the finale against North Carolina left a gap that freshman Cayden Boozer has been thrust into filling.
Initially, Boozer faced challenges during the ACC Tournament opener, but he quickly turned into an unsung hero. His performances in the conference championship and the win over Siena in the Round of 64 have been nothing short of impressive.
Duke's head coach, Jon Scheyer, praised Boozer’s poise, saying, “I just think it's his composure in these moments. Whether you have the opportunity or not, to play in the ACC Tournament in the moments he's been in, that kind of game like we had yesterday against Siena, you're either wired for it or you're not, and he is.”
Boozer is stepping up with an average of 17.0 points per game, shooting an efficient 52.5% from the field. Scheyer highlighted Boozer's dynamic play, noting, “His ability to get downhill for us, we've personalized and changed a couple things that we do to try to put him in a better position.
But he's really the guy that's made it happen. I just love the aggressiveness, but then also the composure that he's had.”
Duke needed every bit of Boozer’s contribution when they found themselves trailing by 13 points against Siena. Boozer credited his confidence to advice from the sidelined Foster, who encouraged him to stay poised and trust in the team's hard work throughout the season.
As Duke prepares to face TCU in the Round of 32, they’ll rely on Boozer’s continued growth and leadership to secure a spot in the Sweet 16. The matchup is set for Saturday evening at 5:15 p.m. ET on CBS.