Down by 14 points in the second half, L.J. Cryer and top-seeded Houston orchestrated a stunning late surge to defeat No. 1 Duke, 70-67, and advance to the men’s national championship game. The upcoming title showdown on Monday night will see Houston facing off against No. 1 Florida. Duke had a commanding 59-45 lead with just over eight minutes remaining in the game, appearing poised to reach their first national championship game since 2015. However, Cryer spearheaded a 10-0 run for Houston, cutting the deficit to four points with five minutes left. Despite Duke regaining momentum, Houston persevered. Emanuel Sharp’s clutch 3-pointer brought them within three points with 32 seconds left, and a steal and basket made it a one-point game with 20 seconds on the clock. A missed free throw opportunity by Duke’s Tyrese Proctor, followed by successful free throws from J’Wan Roberts and Cryer, sealed the victory for Houston in the final seconds. Cryer, who tallied a team-high 26 points, played a pivotal role in the comeback. The Cougars closed out the game with an 11-1 run in the last 80 seconds. “Don’t overlook Houston,” remarked head coach Kelvin Sampson during the post-game broadcast on CBS. Despite the defeat, Duke’s Cooper Flagg, the Wooden Award winner, delivered a standout performance with a game-high 27 points, 19 of which came in the second half. Houston’s triumph marks their return to the national championship game for the first time since 1984, striving for their first title. The Cougars boast a 35-4 record, setting a school record for most wins in a season and extending their nation-leading win streak to 18 games. The victory also avenged last season’s Sweet 16 loss to Duke. Sampson now sits at 799 career wins, aiming to reach 800 and secure a national championship, with 299 victories at Houston. Saturday’s matchup began favorably for Houston with a physical approach and control of the offensive boards. While they had numerous second-chance opportunities early on, shooting struggles persisted. Meanwhile, Flagg and Kon Knueppel sparked Duke’s offense, giving them a nine-point lead midway through the first half. Houston mounted a comeback, narrowing the gap to three, only to see Duke’s freshman phenom Flagg increase the lead with an impressive and-one play late in the first half. The second half saw Houston connecting on three-pointers, but Duke matched them to maintain a double-digit advantage. Flagg dominated Duke’s offense, with the Blue Devils holding a 14-point lead before Houston’s late surge turned the tide. Houston’s defense stifled Duke’s potent offense, limiting them to under 40% field goal shooting. Duke made only
Duke scored its second-lowest amount of the season with 67 points in the game. Houston maintains its flawless record at 33-0 when keeping opponents under 70 points.
