Duke men’s basketball is again within the Elite Eight after outlasting a bodily Houston with a 54-51 win within the Candy 16 spherical of the NCAA males’s basketball event on Friday evening.
Houston’s top-ranked protection stored Duke at bay within the first half, however the Cougars suffered a troublesome blow when All-American guard Jamal Shead went down with an obvious foot harm whereas driving in the direction of the basket with just a bit over six minutes left within the half.
Jamal Shead #1 of the Houston Cougars falls to the bottom in the course of the 1st half of the Candy 16 spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event sport towards Duke Blue Devils at American Airways Heart on March 29, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Photos)
After remaining on the bottom visibly in ache, Shead was helped up and finally walked again to the locker room.
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In line with studies, his X-rays got here again destructive, and he was identified with a severely sprained proper ankle. He would stay on the sidelines for the remainder of the sport.
However with out Shead, Duke managed to tug away within the second half.
Kyle Filipowski had 16 factors and 9 rebounds to steer the cost, however Jeremy Roach’s 14 second-half factors stored the momentum going.
Kyle Filipowski #30 of the Duke Blue Devils shoots in the course of the second half of the Candy 16 spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event towards the Houston Cougars at American Airways Heart on March 29, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Patrick Smith/Getty Photos)
“I’m actually happy with these guys and actually happy with the sport tonight – that was an enormous time college basketball sport,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer stated after the sport.
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Scheyer went on to go with Houston’s fortitude regardless of the lack of Shead, and made some extent to silence any criticisms about Duke’s personal toughness after a loss to Tennessee within the second spherical final 12 months.
“Look, we started four freshmen last year,” he started, “I think for us, some of the criticism about toughness or whatever – try being at Duke as a freshman or sophomore and battling your ass off in the tournament, and then talk to me about being tough.”
Jeremy Roach #3 of the Duke Blue Devils drives baseline in the course of the Candy Sixteen spherical of the 2024 NCAA Males’s Basketball Event held at American Airways Heart on March 29, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Andy Hancock/NCAA Images/NCAA Images by way of Getty Photos)
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Duke now strikes on to face Atlantic Coast Convention rival North Carolina State for a spot within the Ultimate 4.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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