Duke blows late lead as Houston stunningly advances to NCAA final

Houston Cougars Stun Duke Blue Devils in Thrilling Final Four Upset

SAN ANTONIO – In a March Madness tournament brimming with unexpected outcomes, Saturday night delivered a monumental shock. The anticipated journey of Cooper Flagg and the formidable Duke Blue Devils, top seeds and Final Four favorites, concluded prematurely.

Houston orchestrated a stunning turnaround, erasing a 14-point deficit in the final 8:17 to secure a spot in Monday night’s national championship game. They clinched a captivating 70-67 triumph against the youthful Blue Devils in a vibrant Alamodome showdown.

J’Wan Roberts’ clutch free throws with 19.6 seconds remaining granted the Cougars the decisive lead. Following a missed lane shot by Flagg, LJ Cryer extended the margin with two more successful free throws.

Tyrese Proctor’s desperation long-range attempt fell short, igniting jubilant celebrations among Houston players across the court, marking a dramatic Final Four victory.

Duke’s Dominance Dissipates

For a significant portion of the evening, it appeared as though Duke and their highly-touted freshman lineup were destined for the championship final. They commanded the game’s tempo, yet Houston displayed resilience, persistently narrowing the gap.

Emanuel Sharp’s pivotal 3-pointer with 33.3 seconds left narrowed the margin to a single possession for the first occasion in the second half. Capitalizing on the momentum, Houston then intercepted the inbounds pass.

Joseph Tugler’s timely tip-in dunk further reduced the deficit to a mere point. Proctor subsequently missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity, and a foul by Flagg sent Roberts to the free-throw line, culminating in Houston’s dramatic lead change.

Key Performances

Cryer spearheaded Houston’s offense with an impressive 26 points, complemented by Sharp’s contribution of 16 points.

Flagg, widely projected as the top selection in the upcoming NBA Draft, delivered a stellar performance with 27 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in the Final Four matchup.

First Half Action

During a considerable stretch of the first half, Duke mirrored their dominance over previous NCAA Tournament opponents. They imposed a suffocating defense on Houston and generated effortless scoring opportunities on offense.

Duke established a 12-point advantage late in the opening period, before Houston ignited from beyond the arc.

The Cougars converted their final three 3-point attempts after an initial 2-for-8 start, reducing Duke’s halftime lead to just six points—equaling Duke’s narrowest halftime margin in the tournament leading up to this Final Four game.

Houston benefited from fortunate circumstances to remain close, despite shooting only 31 percent from the field and facing a minus-four turnover differential.

Cryer emerged as Houston’s standout performer, scoring 12 points, including three 3-pointers in the first half.

Freshmen Contributions

Duke’s freshmen players delivered expectedly strong performances in the Final Four.

Knueppel scored 12 points, while Flagg contributed eight points, four rebounds, two assists, and two blocks, as the Blue Devils significantly outscored Houston in the paint, 16-6, in the first half.

Second Half Surge and Houston’s Comeback

Early in the second half, Houston maintained a hot shooting streak, converting 10 of 11 shots, yet struggled to diminish the deficit against Duke.

Even when Duke encountered shooting struggles, they compensated with offensive rebounds. Flagg initiated the second half with an inside score and amassed eight points within the first 4:52 of the period.

As Houston’s shooting cooled, Duke widened their lead, reaching a peak of 14 points after Flagg drew fouls on consecutive possessions with 11:54 remaining.

Houston then initiated a 10-0 scoring run, narrowing the margin to four points. Despite an opportunity to further close the gap, Cryer’s mid-range jumper missed, followed by Tyrese Proctor’s two successful free throws and a subsequent 3-pointer from Flagg which seemed to regain control for Duke.

Flagg then blocked a layup attempt by Tugler out of bounds. At this juncture, it appeared Duke had quelled Houston’s rally. However, Houston demonstrably harbored different plans, eventually completing an improbable comeback and securing their place in the national championship.