Duke's Boozer Wins ACC Tourney MVP Despite Struggles Against Virginia's Onyenso

Freshman star Boozer had a rough shooting night, but still led Duke to the ACC title.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 9:36am

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Duke freshman Cameron Boozer was named the MVP of the ACC Tournament despite struggling mightily against Virginia's Ugonna Onyenso, who blocked four of Boozer's shots. Boozer finished with a season-low 13 points on 3-of-17 shooting, but still had 8 rebounds and 8 assists to help Duke defeat Virginia 74-70 in the championship game.

Why it matters

Boozer has been Duke's dominant force all season, so his struggles against Onyenso and Virginia's stifling defense raised questions about how he will fare against elite rim protectors in the NCAA Tournament. However, Boozer's ability to impact the game in other ways, along with Duke's overall team depth, suggests the Blue Devils remain a top contender for the national title.

The details

Onyenso, Virginia's 7-foot center, was the key to frustrating Boozer, swatting four of his shots - three in the second half. Boozer's 17.6% shooting was his lowest total of the season. Despite the rough night, Boozer still finished with a double-double and was named tournament MVP.

  • Duke defeated Virginia 74-70 in the ACC Tournament championship game on Saturday, March 15, 2026.
  • Boozer's previous season-low shooting performance was 25% (3-for-12) against Texas in the same arena to open the season.

The players

Cameron Boozer

A star freshman forward for Duke University who was named the MVP of the ACC Tournament despite struggling against Virginia's defense.

Ugonna Onyenso

The 7-foot center for the University of Virginia who blocked four of Boozer's shots, setting a single-tournament record for blocks in the ACC Tournament.

Jon Scheyer

The head coach of the Duke University men's basketball team, who led the Blue Devils to the ACC Tournament championship in his fourth season.

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What they’re saying

“First of all I've got give props to him. He's a great defender, great shot blocker. I think there's a lot I can learn from this game, but I just want to keep attacking, keep attacking, figure it out, find other ways to win.”

— Cameron Boozer (wbal.com)

“One thing with me is I'm really good with my timing, so when we played them at Duke, I was a little bit off. So coming into today's game, I was like, okay, this is what I've got to do, steel my feet, don't jump. That really helped me with my timing.”

— Ugonna Onyenso (wbal.com)

“Look, we're going to continue to go to him regardless of how he's playing. He didn't have his best stuff. But in fairness to him, we rely on him so heavily. We played three games in a row. They're loaded up, they have a great frontcourt.”

— Jon Scheyer, Duke Head Coach (wbal.com)

What’s next

Duke will now await its seeding and matchup for the 2026 NCAA Tournament, where they will look to win Scheyer's first national championship as head coach.

The takeaway

Despite Boozer's struggles, Duke's ability to win the ACC Tournament title without their star freshman playing at his best demonstrates the team's depth and resilience, making them a formidable contender for the national championship.