Washington
Michigan was ranked No. 1 in the nation and Duke was No. 3, but that was in the AP poll.
Nearly everyone else, and nearly every metric, have the Wolverines and Blue Devils 1-2, the two best teams in the country with February coming to an end and March just ahead.
It almost seemed fitting that the two would meet Saturday in the Capital Showcase at Capital One Arena. In a neutral-site game that had all the feels of a Final Four matchup, with some high-quality, fiercely competitive play, the Blue Devils emerged with a 68-63 victory.
The game, which attracted a crowd of 21,537, not only was a matchup of two elite teams but two of the nation’s best players in Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg. Boozer, who is more about power at 6-9 and 250 pounds, finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and the versatile Lendeborg had 21 points and seven rebounds for the Wolverines.
Duke’s Caleb Foster (1) and Dame Sarr (7) celebrate as time expires in Duke’s 68-63 victory over Michigan in the Capital Showcase at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Ethan Hyman [email protected]
The Blue Devils (25-2) learned what it’s like to play with Boozer in foul trouble in the second half. Boozer’s fourth personal foul came with 8:42 left and Duke leading 53-46, the first time since the Michigan State game in early December that the big man had been charged with more than three.
“This guy, he’s doing everything,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said after the game, looking at Boozer and smiling. “Assists, rebounds, scoring, taking care of the ball, fouling.”
Duke got some strong play off the bench from freshman forward Nikolas Khamenia, who had nine rebounds and gave the Devils some aggressive defense.
“I thought his energy and effort … he wanted it a little bit more,” Michigan coach Dusty May said.
Boozer returned with 4:47 left in the game and Duke holding a 57-53 lead, but a Lendeborg 3-pointer made it a one-point game. But Boozer later answered with a 3 of his own off a Caleb Foster pass, and later pushed Duke ahead 66-61 with 1:01 left after a goal-tending call against the Wolverines was confirmed after a challenge and review.
Duke’s Caleb Foster (1) heads to the basket defended by Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. (21) during the first half of Duke’s game against Michigan in the Capital Showcase at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Ethan Hyman [email protected]
With Duke leading 66-63 with 14.6 seconds remaining, the Devils’ Isaiah Evans made both ends of a one-and-one at the line to seal it.
“It definitely felt like a tournament game, obviously going against Michigan and being at a neutral site, the environment with both Duke and Michigan fans,” Foster said.
Michigan’s May called it a “slugfest” and a “rock fight” and that was a good assessment. It was physical, a man’s game, and the Blue Devils doggedly won the rebounding battle, taking a 41-28 advantage off the boards.
“Overall it was a great team win. Overall, as a team, we all made winning plays,” said Boozer, named the outstanding player of the game.
Duke’s Cameron Boozer (12) celebrates after slamming in two in the second half of Duke’s 68-63 victory over Michigan in the Capital Showcase at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Ethan Hyman [email protected]
The Wolverines rolled into D.C. ranked at the top this week, 25-1 overall after 11 straight wins and a 15-1 Big Ten record. It’s a team with some swagger to it, with a legit player of the year candidate in Lendeborg and a team with length and strength.
Michigan and Duke were 1-2 in defensive efficiency, according to the recent KenPom rankings, and have been stifling teams. But Michigan’s transition game gave Duke problems at times and the Blue Devils were effective with their drives to the lane and kicks.
Duke’s Patrick Ngongba II (21) shoots in the final 24 seconds in the second half of Duke’s 68-63 victory over Michigan in the Capital Showcase at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Ngongba II pulled in his own rebound and was fouled by Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau. Ethan Hyman [email protected]
Not that anything came easily, for either team. Cam Boozer had a couple of shots swatted away — Michigan had seven blocks — and once crashed to the floor attempting a dunk as Lendeborg slammed into him.
Boozer picked up his third foul five minutes into the second half. Dame Sarr missed a driving dunk attempt and Boozer, chasing after the loose ball, was called for a third personal foul in the scramble.
Here are observations from the Duke win:
Michigan’s Lendeborg impressive
Michigan’s Lendeborg is as complete a player as the Blue Devils have faced this season
At 6-9 and 240 pounds, he has the quickness and agility of someone shorter and lighter. He’s smooth. He’s not lacking confidence. He can score inside and out, with nice moves around the basket.
In the first half Saturday, Lendeborg airballed a 3-pointer from the right wing, in front of the Duke bench. He shook his head in that direction – a “no problem” kind of motion.
The next time down the court, Lendeborg again got the ball on the right wing. Cam Boozer backed off a step, Lendeborg again took the 3 – a swish. This time, there was a hint of smile as he ran back on defense.
Lendeborg had 16 of the Wolverines’ 33 first-half points, with a pair of 3-pointers. The second half was more of a challenge as he missed five of six shots.
“I had the same looks, they just weren’t falling,” Lendeborg said.
Ngongba gets the job done
Duke doesn’t always get the smoothest offensive play from Patrick Ngongba II, who at times Saturday seemed indecisive with the ball.
On some plays, Ngongba came off unsure with his ball handling and passing. Isolated on one first-half play, he muscled his way toward the basket, only to pivot and lose the ball.
Duke’s Patrick Ngongba II (21) looses control of the ball while defended by Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. (21) and L.J. Cason (2) during the first half of Duke’s game against Michigan in the Capital Showcase at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Ethan Hyman [email protected]
Back to basket and in the paint, Ngongba can be a handful for opponents on the offensive end. He has a dependable jump hook and can finish. Putting the ball on the floor is not always wise for the 6-11 sophomore.
Ngongba takes an occasional 3-pointer and did with Duke leading by five points with 10:40 left in the second half. And missed – not good timing for a 3-ball.
But Ngongba teamed up with Cayden Boozer for a few baskets in the second half, and his high-post lob to Evans for a late slam was big for Duke.
“He was load down low,” Michigan’s May said of Ngongba.
Ngongba’s interior defense was solid enough and badly needed when Boozer was out. He blocked two shots and altered a few others as the Wolverines, who were averaging 41 points in the paint, were held to 24.
“I thought he protected our basket well,” Scheyer said. “That made a big difference for our defense.”
Challenging night for Cadeau
Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau had an interesting night – at least at the start.
The former North Carolina guard was booed by Duke fans. That was expected.
Cadeau had an early lob pass to 7-3 Aday Mara for the first basket of the game, but then put up a couple of early 3’s, both bricked. He added a few more in the second half.
Duke’s Dame Sarr (7) defends Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau (3) during the second half of Duke’s 68-63 victory over Michigan in the Capital Showcase at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Ethan Hyman [email protected]
Late in the first half, play suddenly was stopped as Cadeau, in pain, left the floor and headed to the Michigan bench. Treated by the team trainers, he did return before the half ended but was scoreless in 13 minutes.
Cadeau had Sarr on him defensively a lot of the game and scored his first points with 9:17 left at the foul line
Cadeau transferred to Michigan after two years in Chapel Hill and has had a productive first season as the Wolverines dominated the Big 10 and moved up in the polls.
Cadeau finished with eight points on 1-of-8 shooting against Duke on Saturday night.
Duke head coach Jon Scheyer hugs Patrick Ngongba II (21) after Duke’s 68-63 victory over Michigan in the Capital Showcase at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Ethan Hyman [email protected] Duke’s Caleb Foster (1) heads to the basket defended by Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. (21) during the first half of Duke’s game against Michigan in the Capital Showcase at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Ethan Hyman [email protected] Duke’s Nikolas Khamenia (14) dives after the loose ball during the first half of Duke’s game against Michigan in the Capital Showcase at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Ethan Hyman [email protected] Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. (21) celebrates after slamming in two during the first half of Duke’s game against Michigan in the Capital Showcase at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Ethan Hyman [email protected] Duke’s Isaiah Evans (3) celebrates after slamming in two as time expires in the second half of Duke’s 68-63 victory over Michigan in the Capital Showcase at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Ethan Hyman [email protected] Duke’s Patrick Ngongba II (21) shoots in the final 24 seconds in the second half of Duke’s 68-63 victory over Michigan in the Capital Showcase at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Ngongba II pulled in his own rebound and was fouled by Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau. Ethan Hyman [email protected]
This story was originally published February 21, 2026 at 8:57 PM.
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Chip Alexander
The News & Observer
In more than 40 years at The N&O, Chip Alexander has covered the N.C. State, UNC, Duke and East Carolina beats, and now is in his 15th season on the Carolina Hurricanes beat. Alexander, who has won numerous writing awards at the state and national level, covered the Hurricanes’ move to North Carolina in 1997 and was a part of The N&O’s coverage of the Canes’ 2006 Stanley Cup run.
