Cameron Boozer scores 35 points as No. 4 Duke tops No. 22 Arkansas 80-71

CHICAGO — Cameron Boozer had 35 points and nine rebounds to help No. 4 Duke hold off No. 22 Arkansas for a wild 80-71 win on Thursday night.

Boozer went 13 for 18 from the field at the United Center — the same place his father, Carlos, called home while he played with the Chicago Bulls for four of his 13 NBA seasons. Cayden Boozer also is a Blue Devils freshman, and Carlos cheered on his twin sons from a courtside seat.

Caleb Foster had 15 points and eight assists for Duke (8-0), off to its best start since winning its first 11 games of the 2017-18 season. Patrick Ngongba II added 11 points.

Darius Acuff Jr. scored 21 for Arkansas (5-2), and fellow freshman Meleek Thomas finished with 13. Trevon Brazile had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

After trailing by 13 in the first half, the Razorbacks used a 10-3 run to take a 60-53 lead with 10:09 left. Thomas capped the spurt with a 3-pointer.

Duke delivered down the stretch, though. Ngongba’s basket gave the Blue Devils a 66-64 lead with 5:20 remaining. Foster made a big 3 with 2:31 to go.

Cameron Boozer began to assert himself in the final minutes of the first half. He made two 3-pointers, converted a driving layup and picked up an assist on Dame Sarr’s dunk during a 10-0 run that gave Duke a 32-22 lead with 5:11 left.

The Blue Devils had a 41-35 lead at the break after the Razorbacks closed the first half with a 7-0 spurt. Cameron Boozer had 15 points at halftime on 6-for-9 shooting.

Up next

Arkansas hosts No. 6 Louisville on Wednesday night.

Duke hosts No. 10 Florida on Tuesday night.