Cameron Boozer was posterized, but had the last laugh against Kansas

The Duke Blue Devils basketball team showed resilience and star power in a Champions Classic victory over the Kansas Jayhawks on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. Freshman standout Cameron Boozer made headlines after being on the wrong end of a viral poster dunk, but ultimately had the last laugh in a 78-66 victory that cemented the Blue Devils’ championship pedigree.

ESPN took to its official X (formerly known as Twitter) account to share the moment Kansas forward Flori Bidunga delivered thunderously poster dunk over Boozer, one that immediately spread throughout the college basketball world.

“FLORY BIDUNGA POSTERS CAMERON BOOZER😳”

The play served as an early “welcome to college” moment for 18-year-old forward and son of Duke legend Carlos Boozer. What followed, however, showed why the projected No. 1 overall pick is considered one of the most composed freshmen in the country. He responded with a solid double-double — 18 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists — helping Duke basketball they pulled away late after the Jayhawks cut the lead to just three points.

The classic showdown of champions was as much about mental toughness as talent. Duke vs. Kansas has long been an example of elite prospects, but this 2025 matchup belonged to the Blue Devils’ stance down the stretch. After a Jayhawks rally, Boozer and fellow teammate Isaiah Evans fueled a decisive 8-0 run that sealed the victory.

For Kansas, Bidunga’s powerful dunk was the highlight of the night, but foul trouble quickly derailed his game. He finished with 14 points and six rebounds before fouling out. Already without star freshman quarterback Derrin Peterson — who was sidelined after suffering a shooting injury on Nov. 11 — the Jayhawks struggled to keep pace when the sophomore center left the game.

The win snapped Duke’s three-game skid against Kansas in the Champions Classic and signaled an appearance Boozer as the program’s next superstar. Even after posterizing, the freshman produced a poised and dominant response — proof that the Blue Devils, while still early in the season, appear to be built to make a serious run at their first national championship since 2015, when they beat Wisconsin 68-63 for the program’s fifth NCAA title.