No. 1 Seed Houston Falls to No. 4 Duke in Sweet 16 Upset of March Madness

The No. 1 seeded Houston Cougars were upset by No. 4 Duke in a close 54-51 game in the Sweet 16 of the men's NCAA tournament. This loss marked the second time a top seed was eliminated early in the tournament.

In the first half, the Cougars faced a setback when their star guard, Jamal Shead, had to leave the game due to an ankle injury. Unfortunately, Shead was unable to return to the game. The CBS broadcast captured a touching moment where Duke players were seen consoling Shead as he sat on the bench.

The Blue Devils were guided by forward Kyle Filipowski, who ended the game with 16 points and nine rebounds.

The Cougars, as the second top seed, also exited the tournament early, following No. 1 North Carolina's loss to No. 4 Alabama in the Sweet 16 on Thursday. Meanwhile, the other No. 1 seeds, UConn and Purdue, secured their spots in the Elite Eight.

Aaron Estrada celebrates during Alabama's game against the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Aaron Estrada celebrates during Alabama's game against the North Carolina Tar Heels.

C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos/Getty Images

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No. 4 Alabama pulled off an upset against No. 1 North Carolina in the Sweet 16 of men's March Madness. The Crimson Tide will now advance to their second ever Elite 8 appearance.

Duke, under head coach Jon Scheyer, is heading to its first Elite Eight and its first tournament appearance following the retirement of legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski, also known as 'Coach K.' After 42 years as Duke's head coach, Coach K retired in 2022, leaving behind a legacy as the all-time winningest coach in men's Division I college basketball.

This is Duke's 24th Elite Eight appearance, tying with Kansas and following behind Kentucky (38) and North Carolina (29) in program history.

Duke will be playing against No. 11 North Carolina State, an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent, on Sunday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Scheyer, who is currently in his second season as head coach, reflected on the valuable lessons he gained from Krzyzewski while playing under him and working on his coaching staff.

"After the game, Scheyer shared with reporters, "Coach K has truly prepared me for moments like this one. We have experienced numerous similar situations together, starting from my four years as a player to my tenure as a coach on his staff for 10 or 11 years."

I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from him both as a player and as a coach. We have been through so many different situations together. Whether we were losing in a game or winning, I have gained valuable insights on how to succeed, and that's the most important lesson I have taken away from him.

Editor's P/S:

The NCAA tournament continues to deliver unexpected results, with top seeds falling early. Houston and North Carolina, both No. 1 seeds, were eliminated by No. 4 seeds Duke and Alabama, respectively. This is a testament to the parity and unpredictability of the tournament, where any team can beat any other on any given day.

Duke's victory is particularly significant, as it marks the first time the Blue Devils have reached the Elite Eight under head coach Jon Scheyer. Scheyer, who played for and coached under legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski, is now in his second season at the helm. He credits Krzyzewski's mentorship for his success, highlighting the importance of learning from experienced coaches and applying their lessons to new situations. The Blue Devils will face No. 11 North Carolina State in the Elite Eight, another ACC opponent. This matchup promises to be another exciting contest, as both teams look to advance to the Final Four. college basketball community. Despite the disappointment of losing, Houston can be proud of their season and the effort they put forth throughout the tournament.