Fingers are being pointed in Durham as Duke picks up the pieces of a lost season and shocking Elite Eight exit — though an 18-year-old is taking accountability.
Cayden Boozer, son of NBA standout Carlos Boozer and fraternal twin brother of Cameron Boozer, turned the ball over with around six seconds left, leading to UConn freshman Braylon Mullins’ 3-pointer that ended Duke’s season.
Boozer acknowledged his mistake in firing a wayward pass as UConn double-teamed him.
“I turned the ball over, I should’ve been strong with the ball,” Boozer told reporters after UConn’s stunning 73-72 victory. “I cost our team our season.”
Leading 72-70 with 10 seconds remaining, Duke inbounded the ball and the 18-year-old Boozer ultimately received a pass from guard Dame Sarr.
Boozer looked down the court and saw an open teammate and attempted what would have been a game-sealing pass, though two Huskies converged on him, tipping the attempt and stealing the ball.
Mullins tracked down the loose ball and fed Alex Karaban, who quickly returned it, setting up Mullins to rise and bury a 30-footer from the logo for the game-winner.
Boozer said he was attempting to get the ball to one of his teammates, Isaiah Evans, “because Isaiah’s our best free throw shooter,” although his pass was aimed toward Patrick Ngongba II.
“I could’ve been strong with the ball, and I let our team down,” Boozer added.
Many, including Jay Bilas, have also criticized Duke coach Jon Scheyer for urging Boozer to push the ball down the court rather than hold it and take their chances at the free-throw line.
Duke had a 19-point first-half lead and led by 15 points at the break, as the Blue Devils continue to blow big leads in the tournament.
Scheyer’s group blew a 14-point lead in the second half against Houston in the Final Four last season, and now heads into an offseason of uncertainty, as Duke expects to lose at least one Boozer, if not both, to the NBA draft.
