Michigan Vs Duke: michigan vs duke ends 68-63
No. 3 Duke beat No. 1 Michigan 68-63 in a nonconference matchup highlighted by freshman Cameron Boozer's 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. The michigan vs duke result came down to a late rebound, perimeter ball movement and two free throws that sealed the outcome.
Michigan Vs Duke game details
Boozer finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as Duke held off Michigan, 68-63. The victory is Duke’s 11th over a team ranked No. 1 in the Top 25 in school history. The nonconference game was played at Capital One Arena in Washington D. C., the announced site of the East regional in the 2026 NCAA tournament.
Boozer's 18 points, 10 rebounds
Freshman Cameron Boozer was the game’s best player despite sitting for part of the second half after picking up his fourth foul. He still logged a team-high 34 minutes and finished 6-of-10 from the field. It marked Boozer’s 19th game in Duke’s last 21 in which he shot at least 50% from the field. He has been described in the context as the massive favorite for the Wooden Award. After the game Boozer said, "I love games like this. Our team loves it, you can see them celebrating back there. "
Mara's fouls and minutes
Michigan’s frontcourt rotation was affected by Aday Mara’s foul trouble. Mara went to the bench after picking up his second foul early in the first half, and coach Dusty May put him back into the game before halftime. Less than a minute after his return, Mara picked up his third foul and sat for the final eight minutes of the half. He finished with 10 points and four rebounds in just 22 minutes. Michigan was +4 with Mara on the court; he had the best plus-minus of any Michigan player, and only two other Michigan players — Elliot Cadeau and Will Tschetter — were above zero in that category.
Late sequence and free throws
The final minute produced the decisive sequence. Inside 30 seconds to go, Patrick Ngongba missed a shot in the lane that would have given Michigan a chance to tie with a 3-pointer. Duke secured the rebound and moved the ball around the perimeter before Michigan committed a foul with 14. 6 seconds remaining. Michigan fouled Isaiah Evans, an 88% free throw shooter; he made the free throws, creating a two-possession game and effectively ending Michigan’s chance to win.
Early runs and shooting struggles
Michigan opened with strong contributions from Yaxel Lendeborg, who had 16 first-half points and powered the Wolverines early. Still, the Wolverines struggled from distance, finishing just 22-of-55 from the field and 6-of-25 from behind the arc. Entering the game, Michigan’s season shooting numbers were 51% overall and 36% from three-point range.
Implications for seeding and schedule
Saturday’s game came hours after the NCAA tournament selection committee released its first midseason seeding reveal, in which Michigan was listed as the No. 1 overall seed and Duke as the No. 2 overall seed. After the win, it is now easy to see how the teams could flip-flop in those positions. Saturday’s victory could help put the Blue Devils on a path to the Sweet 16 in Washington D. C. again, since the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament gets its preferred region.
Remaining schedules and standings
There is still plenty of season left. Duke has remaining games against No. 14 Virginia and No. 16 North Carolina before the ACC tournament. A win over Virginia on Feb. 28 will likely lock up the regular-season conference title for Duke, assuming it takes care of business against both Notre Dame and NC State. Michigan holds a two-game lead in the Big Ten over Illinois and a three-game lead over Nebraska and Purdue. With games remaining against No. 10 Illini and No. 15 Michigan State, convincing wins over both t unclear in the provided context.
Final score: Duke 68, Michigan 63. The game left clear ramifications for rankings, foul management and both teams' paths down the stretch of the regular season.
