Duke Dominates UNC 76-61 in Finale
No. 1 Duke capped their regular season with a statement 76-61 victory over No. 17 North Carolina, reinforcing their top-seed status heading into tournament play. Meanwhile, No. 5 Florida finished with an 11-game win streak after beating Kentucky 84-77, and Marquette pulled off an upset over No. 4 UConn in their season finale.
The storied Duke-UNC rivalry, which dates back to 1920, has seen the two schools separated by just eight miles. Historically, UNC holds the lead in the series, but this victory gives Duke a boost. This game was a clash of titans, with the two programs accounting for 28% of NCAA championship titles in the last 36 years. North Carolina entered the game with momentum, having won four straight and five of their last six, even without the services of star freshman Caleb Wilson. However, the Tar Heels struggled offensively in the second half, going over 11 minutes with just one field goal. The loss drops UNC to the No. 4 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament. Duke's second-half performance was dominant, highlighted by a massive 30-6 run that broke the game open after UNC had cut the lead to one point. The Blue Devils' defense was suffocating, forcing 14 turnovers which led to 24 points. Cameron Boozer had a standout performance for Duke with 26 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists. Florida's victory over Kentucky secured the outright SEC regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament. The Gators jumped out to an 11-0 lead and never trailed in the contest. Thomas Haugh led Florida with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Marquette's win over UConn was a significant upset, with the Golden Eagles holding the Huskies to just 3-of-24 shooting from three-point range. Freshman Nigel James Jr. led Marquette with 19 points, while Royce Parham added 13. The loss for UConn was compounded by the ejection of head coach Dan Hurley in the final seconds after he received a double technical foul. The incident occurred after a no-call on a potential game-tying layup by UConn's Silas Demary. Marquette sealed the 68-62 victory by making four free throws following the technicals.
