In an afternoon that started with jitters and ended with jubilation, Duke found a way to survive and advance, edging out Siena with a 71-65 victory. As the dust settles, Duke stands among the 32 teams still in the hunt, but it wasn’t an easy path.
The Blue Devils learned a valuable lesson about underestimating opponents. Despite Siena's modest resume, they came out swinging, playing with the confidence of a team that believed they could topple a giant. Duke, on the other hand, seemed to take their foot off the gas early on, paying the price for underestimating their opponents.
Maliq Brown admitted, “We thought it was going to be a cakewalk.” But Siena had other plans, leading 43-32 at halftime, fueled by Duke’s defensive lapses and missed opportunities.
Duke coach Jon Scheyer acknowledged the challenge, saying, “G Mac had his guys way more ready to play than I did. He outcoached me, he outcoached us.” It was a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of March Madness.
The comeback story began with a missed opportunity by Siena, allowing Isaiah Evans to ignite an 11-0 run with a dunk. Duke’s defense tightened, and Nik Khamenia stepped up with a crucial three-pointer, filling in for the foul-troubled Brown.
Cam Boozer reflected on the turnaround, “The first half, we put ourselves in that position. We knew we were going to be able to come out of it. We just had to come together, do what we do.”
Even as Siena pushed back, extending their lead to 61-56, fatigue and Duke’s resilience began to shift the momentum. The Saints, sticking with their starters until the final moments, saw their lead evaporate.
Duke’s defense clamped down, holding Siena scoreless for a critical stretch. Cam Boozer’s free throws tied the game, and Evans’ layup gave Duke its first lead since early in the contest. Down the stretch, key plays from Boozer and Evans, combined with strong rebounding, sealed the win.
Cam Boozer was a force on the boards, leading Duke with 13 rebounds and adding 22 points. Evans contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Cayden Boozer dished out five assists without a turnover, adding a career-high 19 points.
Reflecting on the game, Cayden Boozer said, “I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help the team win. I think all of us understand that we have each other’s back and the main goal for us is to play as a team.”
Despite struggling from beyond the arc, Duke’s efficiency from the free-throw line-18 of 21-proved crucial, with Cam Boozer hitting 13 of 14.
Looking ahead to their matchup with TCU, the hope is that the second-half version of Duke shows up from the start. As Scheyer put it, “The beauty of the tournament, when you get to advance, it’s an amazing thing. I’m just really proud of our guys to persevere and find a way against a team that was incredibly ready to play today.”
Duke’s journey continues, and if history is any guide, overcoming this early scare might just be the catalyst they need for a deep tournament run.