If you were looking for a quiet Saturday night, you picked the wrong weekend. On February 21, 2026, the basketball world stopped spinning for a couple of hours. We saw a clash that felt less like a regular-season game and more like a heavyweight title fight. The Michigan vs Duke NBA match stats are finally in, and they tell a story of grit, missed opportunities, and a teenage phenom named Cameron Boozer who plays like he has ice water in his veins.
In this Michigan vs Duke NBA February 2026 stats breakdown, the No. 3 Duke Blue Devils outlasted the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines 68-63 in a game that lived up to every ounce of the hype.
The Michigan vs Duke NBA game results show a final score of 68-63, but the box score is just the tip of the iceberg. This wasn’t just about points; it was about two programs with deep history going at it in the Capital Showcase. If you missed the live action at Capital One Arena, don’t worry.
I’ve got the Michigan vs Duke head-to-head NBA stats and a full Duke vs Michigan basketball game analysis right here. Grab a snack, because we’re diving deep into the latest Michigan vs Duke NBA score and the Duke vs Michigan basketball performance stats that changed everything.
The Big Picture: Michigan vs Duke NBA Match Stats
Let’s look at the numbers first. Sometimes stats lie, but tonight they were screaming. The Michigan vs Duke NBA match stats reveal a defensive masterclass by Jon Scheyer’s squad. Michigan came into this game averaging over 90 points. They left with 63. That is a 27-point drop-off. You don’t see that often in high-level hoops.
- Final Score: Duke 68, Michigan 63
- Field Goal Percentage: Duke 45.5%, Michigan 40.0%
- Three-Point Shooting: Duke 31.6%, Michigan 24.0%
- Rebounding: Duke 41, Michigan 28
- Turnovers: Duke 11, Michigan 7
The Michigan vs Duke NBA February 2026 stats show that while Michigan was cleaner with the ball (only 7 turnovers!), they couldn’t buy a bucket from deep. Going 6-of-25 from the three-point line is a recipe for a long bus ride home. This Duke vs Michigan basketball game analysis proves that even the best offense can get stuck in the mud when a defense is this locked in.
Duke vs Michigan Basketball Performance Stats: The Boozer Factor
If you want to talk about Duke vs Michigan basketball performance stats, you have to start with Cameron Boozer. The kid is 18 years old and plays like he’s 30. He finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. He was two assists away from a triple-double against the number one team in the country.
His dad, Carlos Boozer, was in the stands watching. You could tell the “NBA DNA” was at work. In the final two minutes, when the pressure was high enough to pop a tire, Boozer hit a turnaround jumper and a cold-blooded three-pointer. This Michigan vs Duke NBA matchup breakdown highlights how Duke used Boozer as a point-forward to slice through Michigan’s defense.
Key Individual Performers
- Cameron Boozer (Duke): 18 PTS, 10 REB, 7 AST, 2 BLK
- Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan): 21 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST (The only reason Michigan stayed close)
- Isaiah Evans (Duke): 14 PTS, including clutch free throws late.
- Aday Mara (Michigan): 10 PTS, 2 BLK (But struggled with foul trouble)
The Michigan vs Duke NBA player stats show a tale of two halves. Lendeborg was a monster early, but Duke’s defense and offense stats shifted in the second half to take him out of his rhythm.
Michigan vs Duke NBA Game Results: A Tale of Two Halves
The Michigan vs Duke NBA game results were decided by a brutal scoring drought for the Wolverines. Michigan led 33-31 at halftime. They looked fast. They looked ready. But the second half was a different story.
Duke came out on a 9-0 run. Michigan didn’t hit a field goal for what felt like an eternity—actually, it was about 13 minutes of game time between their last first-half bucket and their first real second-half heater. The Michigan vs Duke NBA shooting accuracy plummeted to 28.6% in the final 20 minutes.
I remember a similar game back in 2024 where Michigan went cold, but this felt different. This felt like Duke’s defense was a physical wall. Every time Aday Mara tried to post up, he was met by Patrick Ngongba II, who finished with 11 points and 2 massive blocks.
The Michigan vs Duke defense and offense stats favor Duke because they simply refused to give up easy layups.
Michigan vs Duke Head-to-Head NBA Stats: The Historical Edge
When we look at Michigan vs Duke head-to-head NBA stats, history clearly wears Blue Devil blue. Duke now leads the all-time series 23-8. They are also 7-0 on neutral courts against the Wolverines.
There is something about this matchup that brings out the best in Duke. Whether it’s the 1992 title game or this February 2026 clash, Duke finds a way. The Michigan NBA team’s performance has been legendary this year—they had won 11 straight games before this—but they couldn’t solve the Duke puzzle.
Why History Repeated Itself
- Rebounding Margin: Duke beat Michigan on the glass by 13.
- Point in the Paint: Duke outscored Michigan 34-24 inside.
- The “Top Team” Curse: Michigan was the No. 1 team, and Duke has now beaten ten No. 1 teams in their history.
This Michigan vs Duke game review February 2026 shows that while Michigan is the “better” team on paper for the whole season, Duke owned the moment.
Michigan vs Duke Scoring and Assists: Breaking Down the Playmaking
In terms of Michigan vs Duke scoring and assists, the ball movement was surprisingly one-sided. Duke had 15 assists on 25 made baskets. Michigan only had 10 assists.
Michigan’s offense usually hums with brand storytelling—they tell you they are the most unselfish team in the country. But tonight, it was isolation-heavy. They relied too much on Lendeborg making tough shots. Meanwhile, Duke used social proof on the court—everyone trusted the guy next to them.
Michigan vs Duke Rebounds and Turnovers
You can’t win big games if you don’t rebound. The Michigan vs Duke rebounds and turnovers stats are the most glaring part of the box score.
- Duke Offensive Rebounds: 18
- Michigan Second Chance Points: 11
Duke got 18 second-chance points because they hunted the ball. Ngongba’s offensive rebound with 51 seconds left was the dagger. It led to free throws that put the game out of reach. Michigan was “cleaner” with the ball, but Duke was “meaner” on the boards.
Latest Michigan vs Duke NBA Score: The Final Minutes
The latest Michigan vs Duke NBA score of 68-63 doesn’t tell you how loud it was. With 3:49 left, Michigan cut the lead to 57-56. The Wolverines fans were screaming. It felt like the comeback was real.
Then, Elliot Cadeau—who had a quiet night—hit a massive three-pointer. Then Boozer hit a hook shot that was goaltended. Step by step, Duke rebuilt the lead. This Michigan vs Duke NBA matchup breakdown shows that the difference between a win and a loss in February is often just two or three possessions, where one team stays calm and the other panics.
Michigan’s shooting percentage in those final minutes was painful. They missed three straight triples. They were looking for the home run instead of the single. Duke, on the other hand, went 12-of-17 from the free-throw line, including 4-for-4 in the final minute.
Michigan vs Duke NBA Game Highlights: What We Learned
Looking back at the Michigan vs Duke NBA game highlights, three things stand out:
- Duke’s Length: They made Michigan look small. That’s hard to do.
- Lendeborg’s Heart: He tried to carry the team. 21 points against that defense is incredible.
- Coaching: Jon Scheyer out-maneuvered Dusty May in the second half by putting Mara in foul trouble early.
This Duke vs Michigan key player performances review proves that the “Blueblood” labels still matter. These teams are likely to see each other again in March. If they do, Michigan needs to find a way to fix their shooting accuracy or it’ll be a repeat of this Saturday night.
Conclusion: What’s Next for These Giants?
The Michigan vs Duke NBA match stats show a game that was won in the trenches. Duke was tougher, stronger on the glass, and had the best player on the floor in Cameron Boozer. Michigan is still a title favorite, but this loss is a wake-up call. They need more than just one or two guys scoring if they want to cut down the nets in April.
Duke, meanwhile, just proved they can beat anyone, anywhere. They didn’t just win; they bullied the No. 1 team in the country. This Michigan vs Duke NBA February 2026 stats report will be studied by every coach in the country for the next month.
Would you like me to break down the individual scouting reports for the top NBA prospects from this game?
Google Optimized FAQs
1. What was the final score of the Michigan vs Duke game in February 2026? The Duke Blue Devils defeated the Michigan Wolverines with a final score of 68-63 on February 21, 2026, at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
2. Who was the top scorer in the Michigan vs Duke 2026 matchup? Yaxel Lendeborg was the game’s top scorer with 21 points for Michigan. However, Duke’s Cameron Boozer led his team to victory with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists.
3. What were the key shooting stats for Michigan vs Duke? Duke shot 45.5% from the field and 31.6% from three-point range. Michigan struggled, shooting 40.0% overall and a disappointing 24.0% from beyond the arc.
4. How many rebounds did Duke have compared to Michigan? Duke dominated the boards with 41 total rebounds (including several key offensive rebounds) compared to Michigan’s 28. This +13 margin was a deciding factor in the game.
5. Is this a rivalry game? Yes, the Duke-Michigan rivalry is a storied one in college basketball. Following this game, Duke leads the all-time series 23-8 and maintains a perfect 7-0 record against Michigan on neutral courts.
References
- Duke University Athletics – Men’s Basketball Box Scores 2026.
- University of Michigan Athletics – 2025-26 Season Review.
- ESPN College Basketball – Capital Showcase Coverage.
- NCAA.com – NET Rankings and Quad-1 Win Statistics.
- KenPom.com – Advanced Efficiency Ratings for Duke and Michigan.
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