Men's Basketball Associated Press

Duke Uses Strong 1st Half to Beat Clemson 73-61 and Return to ACC Tournament Championship Game

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Cameron Boozer had 24 points, 14 rebounds and five assists and No. 1-seed Duke ran out to a 19-point halftime lead and held on to beat No. 5-seed Clemson 73-61 on Friday night to advance to the 2026 T. Rowe Price ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament championship game. 

Cayden Boozer, who is starting for the injured Caleb Foster, set a career high with 16 points and Nikolas Khamenia chipped in with 14 points for the Blue Devils. 

No. 1 Duke (31-2) will play for its second straight ACC Tournament title and third in the last four years on Saturday night against No. 10 Virginia, an 84-62 winner over Miami in the other semifinal. 

RJ Godfrey had 18 points for Clemson (24-10). 

Cameron Boozer, the ACC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, showed off his diverse skill set, scoring from the low post, mid-range and from deep, where he knocked down three 3s. He even ran the point at times and was dominant on the boards, helping Duke outrebound Clemson 41-27. 

Trailing 16-15, Duke began to pull away late in the first half as Dame Sarr and Darren Harris connected on 3s as part of a 14-2 run that gave the Blue Devils their first double-digit lead. 

The Blue Devils closed the first half on a 26-6 run to take a 41-22 lead at the break. Clemson went 1-of-15 from the field over the last 12 minutes of the half and missed its last 10 shots. 

The Tigers began to heat up in the second half and closed the gap to 12 with 2 1/2 minutes remaining, but Cameron Boozer hit a long 3 from the top of the key to thwart the rally. 

Of Note 

  • Duke advances to the ACC Men’s Basketball Championship game, where it will meet No. 2-seed Virginia. The Blue Devils have appeared in the ACC Championship game 46 times previously. 

  • The Blue Devils and Cavaliers have met in the ACC championship game three times before – 2014, 2016 and 2023.  

  • Duke and Virginia also met in the 2025 ACC Football Championship Game, marking the first time the same two institutions have met in both the ACC Football and Men’s Basketball Championship Games in the same academic year. 

  • Duke looks to become the first school to win both the ACC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships in back-to-back seasons since North Carolina in 2007 and 2008. 

  • The Blue Devils are in search of their conference-leading 24th ACC Men’s Basketball Championship title. 

  • The Blue Devils improved 8-5 all-time against Clemson in the ACC Tournament and 115-47 all-time in the ACC Tournament.  

  • Duke’s Cameron Boozer finished with a 24-point, 14-rebound double-double in the win. He also dished out a game-high five assists. 

  • Isaiah Evans also pulled down 10 rebounds for Duke in the victory.  

  • Duke finished the game with a +14 margin in the rebound battle (41-27).