Just 15 games into the season, the Duke Blue Devils have already had to fight for four comeback wins after trailing at halftime.
Yes, it's good to win, and those games have been undeniably exciting for anyone in attendance or tuning in from home. However, playing at 100 percent for 20 minutes while virtually praying that your effort is enough to clinch the comeback is exhausting.
Duke freshman phenom Cameron Boozer expressed that much after the Blue Devils' latest comeback victory, when they defeated the No. 20 Louisville Cardinals.
"We started off really slow, really sloppy," Boozer said. "That's been a constant thing for us. So, it's definitely something we got to work on."
Duke Blue Devils have to play better in the first half
Not great to have a true freshman expressing frustration with how your team is playing for the first half of a 40-minute game. However, Boozer wasn't all doom and gloom.
"But, I mean, our team, we've just shown tremendous toughness. Tremendous, you know, ability to fight the adversity," Boozer added.
With the win over Louisville, Boozer and the Blue Devils improved to 14-1 overall and 3-0 against ACC opponents, so even though it's frustrating, what Duke is doing is clearly working to some extent.
Cam Boozer talks to @notthefakeSVP after Duke's eighth straight win vs. Louisville 🤩 pic.twitter.com/ue1h8aR6zu
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 7, 2026
Yet, with a gauntlet of a conference schedule still remaining, the No. 6 Blue Devils and head coach Jon Scheyer have to figure something out to take the stress and strain off of their star players, including Boozer, Dame Sarr, Isaiah Evans, and Caleb Foster.
This weekend, Duke has to face the No. 24 SMU Mustangs in yet another top-25 matchup for the Blue Devils. The game will be broadcast on ESPN when it tips off at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 10.