Duke Basketball: Why did Duke win, why did Gonzaga and Arizona lose, and who will join Thursday’s winners in the Elite Eight?
Duke basketball: The March Madness journeys of two No. 1 seeds came to an end Thursday night, as the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Arizona Wildcats fell short of the Elite Eight in two more bracket-shaking NCAA tournament losses.
The Zags, the tournament’s top overall seed, were defeated 74-68 by a fourth-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks team, which is making its second consecutive trip to the Elite Eight.
The night’s other Western power, the Arizona Wildcats, fell 72-60 to the fifth-seeded Houston Cougars, putting the Coogs one step away from a second consecutive Final Four if they can get past also-triumphant Villanova.
On any other night, the loss of two No. 1 seeds would have been the headline, but the Duke Blue Devils extending head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s last dance by defeating the 3-seed Texas Tech Red Raiders 78-73 piqued the interest of the college basketball universe and beyond.
Friday’s March Madness schedule:
- No. 15 Saint Peter’s vs. No. 3 Purdue, 7:09 p.m. ET (CBS)
- No. 4 Providence vs. No. 1 Kansas, 7:29 p.m. ET (TBS)
- No. 8 North Carolina vs. No. 4 UCLA, 9:39 p.m. ET (CBS)
- No. 11 Iowa State vs. No. 10 Miami, 9:59 ET p.m. (TBS)
Watch full video here
Read Also: Sportsbet.io unveils latest signing with afropop star Tekno joining as global ambassador
