Arizona fought until the final buzzer, but Duke’s firepower proved too much in a 100-93 loss in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night in Newark, New Jersey. The Wildcats erased a 19-point second-half deficit, cutting Duke’s lead to as little as five in the final minutes, but the top-seeded Blue Devils held on.
Caleb Love once again led the Wildcats with his best performance of the tournament putting up a game-high 35 points. Love kept Arizona close, even with Duke staying hot. However, with the Blue Devils shooting 60% from the field and 58% from three-point range, the Wildcats were simply unable to keep up. Freshman phenom Cooper Flagg paced the Blue Devils with 30 points, helping Duke secure its second straight Elite Eight appearance.
First Half: A Back-and-Forth Battle
Arizona came out firing, knocking down five of its first seven shots, including three from beyond the arc. Anthony Dell’Orso and Love helped the Wildcats build an early 15-10 lead. However, Duke quickly responded, tightening its defense and forcing Arizona into tougher shots.
The Wildcats endured a scoring drought, missing eight straight shots, which allowed the Blue Devils to go on an 11-0 run. Love, who started 0-for-3, ended the cold spell with a three-pointer, helping Arizona claw back. Jaden Bradley, battling foul trouble, also contributed offensively before halftime.
With the game tied at 42 in the final minute of the first half, Duke made a decisive push. The Blue Devils knocked down back-to-back threes, including a buzzer-beater from Flagg, giving them a 48-42 lead heading into the break. That momentum carried into the second half, where Duke quickly extended its advantage.
Second Half: Duke Builds a Big Lead
Duke came out of the locker room on fire, hitting its first nine shots and scoring on 10 of its first 11 possessions. A three-pointer from Sian James and a basket inside by Patrick Ngongba extended Duke’s lead to 70-51 with just over 13 minutes left. Arizona called a timeout, desperately needing a response.
That response came from Love, who single-handedly kept the Wildcats alive. He erupted for 15 straight points, sparking a 20-8 run that trimmed Duke’s lead to seven. Henri Veesaar added a dunk-and-one, cutting it to 78-71 with 7:47 remaining. However, Arizona’s momentum was halted by a crucial foul call.
Jaden Bradley, already in foul trouble, was assessed a flagrant foul on a hook-and-hold, giving Duke two free throws and possession. The Blue Devils capitalized, pushing the lead back to 11. A similar play involving Ngongba on Veesaar later in the game was ruled a common foul, frustrating the Wildcats.
Final Minutes: Arizona’s Comeback Falls Short
Despite Duke’s efficiency, Arizona refused to go away. The Wildcats trimmed the deficit to 87-79 with under five minutes left and later made it 91-86 after a Carter Bryant three with 1:56 to play. Love continued to attack, but Duke remained poised at the free-throw line.
A key moment came when Arizona had a chance to cut the lead to one possession, but Duke secured a critical offensive rebound and drained free throws to maintain control. The Wildcats played their best defensive stretch late in the game but couldn’t get the necessary stops in the final minute.
Duke’s composure down the stretch was the key to its victory. The Blue Devils made their free throws in the clutch and controlled the clock, holding off Arizona’s attempts at a comeback. Despite a valiant effort, Arizona’s season ended one step short of the Elite Eight.
Final Thoughts
With this loss, the Wildcats season comes to an end. Arizona managed to keep the game competitive throughout, especially after falling behind by 19 in the second half. Love despite coming up short, led the Wildcats all season long, and continued to do so in the tournament. His performance in this game was also arguably one of the best in Arizona tournament history, and the team finished with its lowest turnover total of the NCAA Tournament, committing just six.
However, on the other side Duke entered this game as an offensive juggernaut and they proved why from the opening tip till the final buzzer of this game. The Blue Devils were hot from everywhere on the court, they finished the game shooting 11-of-19 from three, making them unstoppable. With, Arizona exiting the tournament, Duke moves on to the Elite Eight inching ever closer to yet another National Championship.
