Duke did not wait around in Washington, D.C. The top-seeded Blue Devils seized control of the East Regional Final early, pounding their way to a 44-29 halftime lead on No. 2 seed UConn. A ruthless 14-0 run and a beating on the glass turned what was billed as a heavyweight classic into a one-sided first half, with freshmen Cameron and Cayden Boozer driving the offense.
UConn, which usually lives comfortably on the perimeter, could not buy a bucket from deep and opened 1-for-11 from three-point range in the first 20 minutes. The box score tilted sharply toward Duke: Cameron Boozer stacked up 14 points, five rebounds, three assists and two blocks, while twin brother Cayden added 13 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals, according to WRAL. Duke shot 51.7 percent from the floor and owned a 22-14 edge on the boards, with eight offensive rebounds fueling that 14-0 burst that blew the game wide open. The Blue Devils came in at 35-2 and riding a 14-game winning streak, while UConn was 32-5 and chasing a third national title in four seasons, per Wikipedia.
Boozer Brothers Set The Tone
"No. 1 Duke played its best first half of the NCAA Tournament against its best opponent," the live report noted, a summary that matched what the stat sheet was screaming, according to WRAL. UConn endured a brutal stretch of nine straight missed field goals and that 1-for-11 line from three, while Tarris Reed Jr. tried to keep the Huskies afloat with 12 points in only 13 minutes before foul trouble cut his time short. If Duke keeps crashing the offensive glass and cashing in second-chance looks, UConn will need a dramatically hotter shooting half to claw back into this one.
What's Next
A win Sunday would send the East Regional champion to the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with national semifinals scheduled for April 4 and the title game on April 6, according to the tournament schedule on Wikipedia. For UConn, the comeback path likely runs through steadier interior production and fewer rushed, low-percentage threes. For Duke, the second half is about keeping a grip on the basics: protect the ball, avoid foul trouble and finish the defensive and offensive possessions they keep extending on the glass.
.png){kind=link}