The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament featured several key matchups, beginning with St. John's securing a Sweet 16 berth after a narrow victory over Kansas. St. John's then faced top-seeded Duke in the Sweet 16, where Duke advanced with an 80-75 win. In the Elite Eight, Duke, despite holding a substantial lead, was defeated 73-72 by UConn on a last-second shot, concluding Duke's season and sending UConn to the Final Four.
NCAA Tournament Second Round: St. John's Defeats Kansas
Fourth-seeded Kansas won its first-round game against No. 13 seed Cal Baptist 68-60 on a Friday night, with Darryn Peterson leading Kansas with 28 points. Cal Baptist, led by Dominique Daniels Jr.'s 25 points, reduced a 48-22 second-half deficit to six points before Kansas secured the win. St. John's had previously defeated Northern Iowa 79-53 in its first-round game.
In the Second Round on a Sunday, fifth-seeded St. John's defeated fourth-seeded Kansas 67-65. This victory marked St. John's first advancement to the Sweet 16 since 1999. St. John's had held a 58-45 lead with 7.5 minutes remaining, but Kansas mounted a 20-7 run, tying the game at 65-all with 13.1 seconds left after two free throws by Darryn Peterson. St. John's guard Dylan Darling scored the decisive basket with a driving layup with 3.9 seconds remaining, his only points of the game. Kansas had utilized four fouls to reduce the clock before the final shot.
- St. John's Key Players: Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins each contributed 18 points. Ejiofor also recorded nine rebounds.
- Kansas Key Players: Darryn Peterson scored 21 points, and Melvin Council Jr. added 15 points and nine rebounds.
- Coaches: The game featured Hall of Fame coaches Rick Pitino of St. John's and Bill Self of Kansas, in their first March Madness encounter.
St. John's concluded the game with a 30-6 season record, having won 21 of its last 22 games since early January, and also secured both the Big East regular-season and tournament titles.
Kansas concluded its season with a 24-11 record, having lost six of its final 11 games since February 9. St. John's was scheduled to play No. 1 overall seed Duke in the East Region semifinals.
Sweet 16 Showdown: Duke Overcomes St. John's
On a Friday night in Washington, top-seeded Duke defeated fifth-seeded St. John's 80-75 in the Sweet 16, advancing to the Elite Eight. St. John's held a 40-39 lead at halftime and extended it to 53-44 early in the second half following Duke turnovers. Duke rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half, implementing defensive adjustments including a zone defense.
Duke Key Player Performances:
- Isaiah Evans led Duke with 25 points. He scored a three-pointer with 3:54 left, giving Duke the lead, and a free throw with 11.2 seconds remaining to extend it.
- Cameron Boozer contributed 22 points and 10 rebounds, with 13 of his points in the second half. He made a three-point play with 3:06 remaining.
- Caleb Foster returned to play despite having undergone foot surgery less than three weeks prior. He played 18 minutes off the bench, scoring all 11 of his points in the second half without committing any turnovers. Foster's contributions, including seven consecutive points, were noted during Duke's comeback efforts. Duke coach Jon Scheyer stated that Foster's return to play was unexpected given his recent surgery.
St. John's Key Player Performances:
- Zuby Ejiofor finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. This marked the conclusion of his three-year career at St. John's.
- Ruben Prey scored 12 points off the bench, including a career-high four three-pointers.
- St. John's collectively made 13 three-pointers during the game.
St. John's had an opportunity to tie the game in the final seconds, but Dylan Darling's three-point attempt was unsuccessful. Duke's field goal percentage in the second half was 57.1%.
St. John's coach Rick Pitino attributed defensive breakdowns to Duke's aggressive drives and described his team as playing with "great heart." Pitino also suggested that the losing team should conduct postgame press conferences first to avoid lengthy waits.
St. John's concluded its season with a 30-7 record. Duke extended its winning streak to 14 games and was set to face UConn in the Elite Eight.
Elite Eight Thriller: UConn's Comeback Against Duke
UConn defeated top-seeded Duke 73-72 on a Sunday in the Elite Eight in Washington, securing a spot in the Final Four. Duke established an early lead, concluding the first half with a 44-29 advantage, which was UConn's largest halftime deficit of the season. This marked the first instance of a No. 1 seed losing in the NCAA Tournament after holding a 15-point lead at halftime.
UConn mounted a comeback in the second half. Trailing by three points in the final moments, UConn's Silas Demary Jr. made one of two free throws. With approximately six seconds remaining, Duke freshman Cayden Boozer committed a turnover near midcourt when his pass was deflected by Demary. UConn recovered the ball, and Braylon Mullins received a pass from Alex Karaban, then returned it to Mullins, who made a 35-foot shot with 0.3 seconds left, securing UConn's victory.
UConn Key Player Performances:
- Tarris Reed Jr. led UConn with 26 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks.
- Braylon Mullins scored 10 points, including the game-winning three-pointer.
- Alex Karaban contributed five points, including a three-pointer that brought UConn within one point late in the game.
- UConn, with a 33-5 record, advanced to face third-seeded Illinois in the national semifinal. UConn initially made one of its first 18 three-point attempts but finished converting five of 23. This comeback from a 19-point deficit in a regional final is among the largest in tournament history.
Duke Key Player Performances:
- Cameron Boozer recorded 27 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. He is anticipated to declare for the NBA draft.
- Cayden Boozer accepted responsibility for the turnover following the game, stating, "I ruined our team's season."
Duke concluded its season with a 35-3 record. Coach Jon Scheyer stated his disappointment following the loss.
Former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski stated that the loss was not attributable to one play, emphasizing the team's 13 turnovers, which UConn converted into 20 points, contributing to UConn's offensive momentum.
Krzyzewski also praised Cayden Boozer for appearing at the postgame media scrum and advised Scheyer to support the team members and embrace collective responsibility. Grant Hill, a Duke alumnus, described the game's ending as "chaotic but thrilling" and an "epic meltdown" by Duke.
This elimination marked Duke's third consecutive postseason exit under Coach Scheyer where the team had held a significant lead, and its second consecutive March postseason exit. Difficulties with inbound plays were noted in this game, a recurring issue for the team in postseason play. Scheyer had previously appointed an assistant coach to enhance Duke's late-game playbook. Despite the loss, Duke has achieved program successes, including two consecutive ACC regular-season and tournament titles, and 70 wins in a two-year period. Duke's team featured one upperclassman starter, senior forward Maliq Brown, and ranked outside the top-300 nationally in experience. Scheyer stated that the team would "reflect" and "learn" from the experience.