Duke regarded prefer it was heading to the nationwide championship sport for the twelfth time in program historical past. With 1:26 left within the sport, freshman phenom Cooper Flagg calmly drained two free throws to offer the Blue Devils a seven-point lead over Houston.
Then the Cougars channeled the “Clutch Metropolis” nickname of their hometown and went on an inconceivable 11-1 run.
Flagg even had the prospect to make the go-ahead basket when he drove to the lane with eight seconds on the clock, however the ball hit the rim and senior guard LJ Cryer closed out Houston’s 70-67 win on the free-throw line.
It was a wild end, and the numbers again that up. Listed here are 10 of them to know from the Remaining 4 thriller.
1: Duke entered Saturday evening averaging 83.7 factors per sport and rating first in KenPom’s offensive effectivity ranking. However the Blue Devils had only one (ONE!) area objective over the ultimate 10:31 of the sport. It also needs to be famous that Houston boasts KenPom’s high defensive rating this season.
3: Houston made simply three of its first 17 area objective makes an attempt of the evening. The Cougars completed by making three of their last 4 area objective makes an attempt within the last 2:05.
6-of-9: Flagg and freshman teammate Kon Knueppel led the best way for the Blue Devils. The youngsters have been the one two Duke gamers to attain in double figures and mixed to go 6-of-9 from 3. The remainder of the Duke lineup was simply 1-of-8 from behind the arc. On the opposite sideline, Cryer went 6-of-9 from deep as Houston related on practically half (10-of-22) of its 3-point makes an attempt.
10: The starters for each groups did many of the heavy lifting. There have been solely 10 whole bench factors within the sport. Houston bought six factors from its non-starters, whereas all 4 of Duke’s bench factors got here from Maliq Brown.
13: Flagg may need missed the potential game-winner, however he was additionally the one Duke participant to make a shot in the last 13 minutes. The Picket Award winner completed with a game-high 27 factors in what was doubtless his last collegiate sport.
14: With 11:54 left within the sport, Houston trailed 56-42 earlier than staging its comeback. The Cougars then turned the third team since 2022 to rally from a 14-point deficit within the Remaining 4. Kansas in 2022 and San Diego State in 2023 have been the opposite two.
21: If the loss felt like deja vu for Duke followers, it was 21 years in the past when the Blue Devils misplaced in related style within the Remaining 4. In 2004, Duke was main UConn by seven factors with simply over three minutes to go earlier than shedding a detailed one. That sport, like Saturday evening’s, was additionally held in San Antonio.
33: Cryer was the primary participant in 33 years to have 25 factors and 6 3-pointers in a nationwide semifinal. The final to take action? Bobby Hurley within the 1992 Remaining 4 with, coincidentally, Duke.
58.9: Houston was down 67-66 with 19.6 seconds left when J’Wan Roberts, a profession 58.9 p.c free throw shooter, went to the road. The senior ahead made each free-throw makes an attempt to offer the Cougars their first lead since they went forward 6-5 with 15:25 left within the first half.
97.1: On the 2:30 mark, Duke’s win probability was 97.1%, its highest all night. The Blue Devils led 64-55 and Houston’s Milos Uzan missed a 3-point shot. Due to offensive rebounding, the Cougars had a pair extra probabilities on the possession earlier than Emanuel Sharp laid it in. They missed only one extra area objective the remainder of the best way.
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