Duke and Michigan Clinch Titles
No. 1 Duke beat Virginia 77-51 to clinch the top seed in the ACC Tournament, with Isaiah Evans dropping 19 points. Meanwhile, Michigan powered past Illinois to claim the outright Big Ten title. Both teams are now locked in as top seeds heading into March Madness.
Duke's dominant performance against Virginia was more than just a single victory; it secured the Blue Devils at least a share of the ACC regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament. While sophomore Isaiah Evans led the scoring with 19 points, including five three-pointers, star freshman Cameron Boozer was a major force with 18 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. The commanding 77-51 win marked Duke's 31st consecutive home victory. The Blue Devils' defense was stifling, holding Virginia to just 29.1% shooting from the field. This defensive prowess is a key part of their identity under head coach Jon Scheyer, as they have held nearly all of their 28 opponents below their season scoring average. With a record of 27-2 overall and 15-1 in the ACC, Duke has established itself as a formidable force heading into the postseason. Meanwhile, Michigan's 84-70 road victory over No. 10 Illinois was a historic one for the program. The win clinched the Wolverines' 16th all-time Big Ten regular-season title and their first outright championship since the 2020-21 season. The victory also set a new program record with 17 conference wins, surpassing the previous mark of 16. The win in Champaign was particularly sweet as it snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Fighting Illini. Morez Johnson Jr., in a return against his former team, led the Wolverines with a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. Aday Mara also had a significant impact, matching the team-high with 19 points on an efficient 8-for-9 shooting performance. Looking ahead, both teams are preparing for their respective conference tournaments. The ACC Tournament is scheduled to take place from March 10-14 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Duke will have two more regular-season games, including a rivalry matchup against North Carolina on March 7, before heading to Charlotte. The Big Ten Tournament will be held from March 10-15 at the United Center in Chicago. This year's tournament will be the first to include all 18 teams in the conference. Following their win, Michigan improved to 27-2 on the season and 17-1 in conference play.
