Duke Caps Perfect Season
No. 1 Duke dominated rival UNC 76-61 to cap their regular season, solidifying their position as the top seed heading into March Madness. Meanwhile, No. 4 UConn was upset by Marquette in their finale, shaking up tournament seedings. Arkansas coach John Calipari reached his 900th career win in an OT thriller against Missouri.
A perfect regular season is a rare feat in modern men's college basketball. The last team to complete an entire season, including the NCAA Tournament, without a loss was Bob Knight's Indiana Hoosiers back in 1976. Since the tournament expanded in 1985, only a handful of teams have even entered their conference tournament undefeated. The pressure now mounts for the Blue Devils as they chase history. The 2014-15 Kentucky Wildcats were the last team to carry an undefeated record deep into the season, reaching the Final Four with a 38-0 record before falling to Wisconsin. That Wildcat team was coached by John Calipari, who just notched his 900th career win. Freshman phenom Cameron Boozer has been the driving force behind Duke's flawless run, emerging as a leading candidate for National Player of the Year. Boozer is averaging 22.6 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, shooting an efficient 58.3% from the field and 40.4% from three-point range. This season adds another chapter to Duke's storied history, which includes five national championships and a record 23 ACC tournament titles. The Blue Devils have consistently been a dominant force, but a perfect season would elevate this squad to legendary status. Meanwhile, Marquette's 68-62 upset of No. 4 UConn sent shockwaves through the tournament bubble. The Huskies, who had been on a six-game winning streak, went cold from beyond the arc, shooting just 3-for-24 from three-point range and committing 16 turnovers. The loss snaps a six-game winning streak for UConn in the series against Marquette and marked the Huskies' first loss of the season when leading at halftime. The unexpected result will likely impact top-tier seeding as conference tournaments get underway. For Arkansas coach John Calipari, the overtime victory marked a major career milestone. With more than 850 official career victories, he is one of the winningest coaches in NCAA Division I history, having previously led UMass, Memphis, and Kentucky, winning a national title with the Wildcats in 2012.
