Duke basketball passes March test in February, takes down No. 1 Michigan

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Duke basketball and coach Jon Scheyer got exactly what it wanted against Michigan – a March test in February.

The No. 3 Blue Devils (25-2, 13-1 ACC) took down No. 1 ranked Michigan (25-2, 15-1 Big Ten), 68-63, on a neutral floor at Capital One Arena, a venue that could host Duke again for the NCAA Tournament’s East Regional where Duke is projected to be a No. 1 seed.

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And it looked the part.

“That was a game that didn’t feel like that was played in February, that felt like a March or April game,” Scheyer said.

Cameron Boozer posted a team-high 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in the win, where Duke outrebounded Michigan 41-28 and dominated in the paint, 34-24. Duke used a 6-0 run to regain the lead and close the first half up, 35-33, a lead it did not relinquish for the remainder of the contest. Michigan got within one twice in the second half, but that’s as close as the Wolverines could get.

Scheyer went into the game knowing it would be a great test for his team. While he said he did not necessarily learn anything new from his squad, he instead saw growth.

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“I see the connectivity on defense,” he said. “I see the plays they’re making on offense of how to win in March and how to win going forward. And that’s the biggest thing that I saw.

FROM THE GAME: Duke basketball takes down No. 1 Michigan: Score, highlights

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“I think there’s a lot that we could have done better, and I think that’s a good thing. It doesn’t diminish how proud I am of our team.  I think we still can get a lot better, but I think we’ve done that. I think this was just the next step in order to prove that, to show it.”

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For junior guard Caleb Foster, who finished with 12 points, four rebound and four assists, the atmosphere reflected that of one come March.

“It definitely felt like a tournament game, obviously going against Michigan and then…

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Publish date : 2026-02-22 03:13:00

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