Duke survives Siena
No. 1 Duke escaped a serious scare—Siena’s early zone defense stifled them in the first half, but halftime adjustments and improved outside shooting let Duke pull away in the second half ( ). The game stayed tense late, underscoring how vulnerable even top seeds can be on opening night (youtube.com).
No. 1 Duke erased an 11-point halftime deficit and rallied to a 71-65 win over Siena in the East Region first round on March 19, 2026. (espn.com) Siena led 43-32 at intermission before Duke outscored the Saints 39-22 in the second half to close the game. (espn.com) Cameron Boozer finished with a double-double — 22 points and 13 rebounds — while Cayden Boozer scored a career-high 19 for Duke. (goduke.com) Isaiah Evans posted a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double and hit key interior baskets down the stretch to give Duke its first lead since early in the game. (dukewire.usatoday.com) Gavin Doty led Siena with 21 points and Francis Folefac added 18, with Siena’s starters logging nearly the full 40 minutes as the MAAC champion kept the game tight. (sportingnews.com) Duke’s second-half defensive pivot held Siena to 8-of-34 shooting (22 points) after intermission and the Blue Devils out-rebounded the Saints 30-13 in the final 20 minutes. (goduke.com) Coach Jon Scheyer said postgame that Siena presented one of his toughest moments and acknowledged being outcoached at times, and Duke now moves on to face No. 9 seed TCU in the Round of 32 on Saturday, March 21. (indystar.com (fayobserver.com)
