Duke Defeats No. 1 Houston to Advance to Elite Eight after Key Loss

In a thrilling Sweet 16 matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, the Duke Blue Devils pulled off a stunning upset win over top-ranked Houston, marking their first NCAA tournament victory over a higher seed in 30 years.

Despite facing adversity early on as Jamal Shead suffered a severe ankle sprain in the first half, Duke managed to chip away at Houston’s lead and eventually secure a 54-51 victory. Kyle Filipowski led the charge with 16 points, while Roach added 14 points in the closely contested game.

The absence of Shead certainly impacted Houston’s performance, although L.J. Cryer led the Cougars with 15 points and J’Wan Roberts added 13 points and eight rebounds in the losing effort.

With this win, Duke advances to the Elite Eight to face NC State in an all-ACC matchup after the Wolfpack defeated No. 2 Marquette in their Sweet 16 game.

Despite a late resurgence from Houston, the Blue Devils managed to hold on for the victory, showcasing their resilience and determination on the biggest stage of college basketball.

Stay tuned to see if Duke can continue their momentum and advance further in the tournament as they face off against NC State in this highly anticipated Elite Eight clash.