Bonkers Cam Boozer stat will have NBA teams ready to go full tank mode for Duke star

The Duke Blue Devils (8-0) entered Thanksgiving night unbeaten, but they were tested early and often by a physical Arkansas Razorbacks (5-2) squad under head coach John Calipari.

Despite a slow opening stretch, Duke’s star Cameron Boozer overcame a smothering Arkansas front that limited him to just two points over the first 13 minutes. Once he adjusted to the collisions at the rim, everything changed.

By the end of the night, the 6-foot-9 forward erupted for 35 points and nine boards, finishing 13-for-18 from the floor, including perimeter makes, playmaking flashes, and timely defensive disruption. The overall effort helped Duke outlast Arkansas 80-71, and Boozer isn’t simply producing loud stat lines; he’s stacking them in historically clean runs.

“Cameron Boozer of Duke is the only Division I or NBA player in the last 30 seasons to have an 8-game span with: 175+ points, 75+ rebounds, 25+ assists, 10 or fewer turnovers, undefeated record. He did it in the first 8 games of his career.” shared by OptaSTATS on X, formerly Twitter.

The stage for freshman phenom was massive as the showdown took place in Chicago at the CBS Sports Thanksgiving Classic, at the venue that carries personal meaning for the Boozer family, where Boozer’s father Carlos Boozer once played home games during a portion of his 13-year NBA stint. His twin brother, Cayden Boozer, also a Duke freshman, joined the spotlight, with their father cheering from the front row.

Calipari, who tried convincing Boozer to choose other programs before losing him to Duke, admitted the freshman’s physical realization mid-game was the turning point. Arkansas cycled coverages, but Boozer leaned into his strengths instead of wavering.

“(Boozer) was a beast,” Calipari said after the game via Times Record. “We were trying different things and trying to get guys just to stay in front and make it a tough thing.”

The Blue Devils now prepare to host No. 10 Florida on Tuesday, followed by a trip to East Lansing to face No. 11 Michigan State on Dec. 6.

The post Bonkers Cam Boozer stat will have NBA teams ready to go full tank mode for Duke star appeared first on ClutchPoints.