EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Cameron Boozer scored 18 points, including 16 in the second half, and Caleb Foster added 12 points Saturday to help No. 4 Duke hold on for a 66-60 victory over No. 7 Michigan State in a game that had the intensity of an NCAA Regional Final.
Boozer, who entered averaging nearly 27 points a game, also had 15 rebounds for the Blue Devils (10-0). Duke's start is its best open to a season since winning the first 11 games in 2017-18.
A combination of missed open shots and tight defense kept the game close. The teams traded the lead nine times and were tied four times in the second half.
Isaiah Evans gave the Blue Devils a 55-53 lead with 3:59 remaining, but Jeremy Fears tied it at 55 with a pair of free throws with 1:59 left. Boozer then hit two free throws with 1:35 to go to put Duke up for good. Evans then was fouled by Fears on a 3-point shot and made all three free throws to give Duke a 60-55 advantage.
Carson Cooper had a layup with 46 seconds left to cut the margin to 60-57 but that was as close as Michigan State could get.
Cooper led Michigan State (8-1) with 16 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Jaxon Kohler had 14 points and seven rebounds for the Spartans.
Neither team could get into an offensive rhythm in the first half. Duke led through the first 12 minutes, up by as many as six points. Michigan State grabbed the lead on a 3-pointer by Jesse McCulloch with 5:02 left and held on for a 34-31 halftime advantage.
Both teams struggled with their shooting from the field in the first half, combining for 22 of 63.
Up next
Duke: Hosts Lipscomb on Dec. 16.
Michigan State: Visits Penn State on Dec. 13.
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