Houston suffered a tough loss to Duke in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament after their top player, Jamal Shead, went down with a severely sprained ankle in the first half. Shead had to be helped off the court and did not return to the game. Despite a quick start, the Cougars struggled offensively after Shead’s injury and ultimately fell to the Blue Devils by a score of 54-51. This marked Duke’s first NCAA tournament win over a higher seed in 30 years and sent them to the Elite Eight.
Shead, who averaged 13.2 points and 6.4 assists per game this season, was a crucial player for Houston throughout the tournament. He had been averaging 16 points and 9.5 assists per game in the tournament leading up to the Sweet 16 matchup. His absence was felt on the court as the Cougars struggled to maintain their momentum without him. Duke was able to chip away at Houston’s lead and ultimately take control of the game in the second half.
Despite a few key plays that kept Houston in the game, including a big 3-pointer by Ramon Walker and a tough layup by J’Wan Roberts, the Cougars couldn’t overcome Duke’s defensive pressure. Duke managed to shut down Houston offensively and make key stops down the stretch to secure a three-point win. L.J. Cryer led the Cougars with 15 points, while Kyle Filipowski led Duke with 16 points and nine rebounds in the victory.
With the win, Duke advances to the Elite Eight to face NC State in an all-ACC matchup. NC State defeated No. 2 Marquette earlier in the evening to secure their spot in the Elite Eight. Both teams will be looking to advance to the Final Four and continue their impressive tournament runs. Despite the loss, Houston put up a strong fight against Duke and will look to build on their success in future seasons. injuries can be a challenging part of the game, and Houston will need to regroup and adjust in order to compete at a high level in the future.
