Duke Faces Arizona with Elite Eight on the Line

Duke Faces Arizona with Elite Eight on the Line

The Duke Blue Devils took another step toward the national championship on Sunday with a commanding second-round win over the Baylor Bears. Now, they face an intriguing Sweet 16 matchup against a familiar foe-Arizona guard Caleb Love, a player whose name still resonates among Duke fans for his heroics against the Blue Devils while playing for North Carolina in 2022. Love now leads the Arizona Wildcats, who enter Thursday night’s contest hoping to avenge an early-season loss to Duke and advance to their first Elite Eight in nearly a decade.

Duke’s Dominance in November Rematch

This is the second meeting between these teams this season. The Blue Devils traveled to Tucson in November and left with a convincing 69-55 victory. Freshman phenom Cooper Flagg led the way with 24 points, and Duke’s size and shooting proved to be the difference. Arizona struggled from beyond the arc, with Love shooting just 3-of-13 from the field, including 1-of-9 from three-point range. The Wildcats kept the game close for the first 10 minutes, but Duke’s physicality and defensive pressure took control as the game wore on.

Since that loss, Arizona has found its form. The Wildcats have shot 43.4% from three over their last seven games, a significant improvement from their season average. A scorching shooting performance could give them a chance to flip the script this time around.

Arizona’s Stars Looking for Breakthrough

The Wildcats are led by Caleb Love, who is averaging 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. Jaden Bradley (12.0 ppg) and KJ Lewis (10.9 ppg) provide additional scoring threats, but Arizona’s success could hinge on whether Love can exorcise his shooting demons against Duke.

Arizona enters the matchup with a 24-12 record and is seeking its first Elite Eight appearance since 2015. The Wildcats have a strong tournament pedigree, including a national championship in 1997 and a runner-up finish in 2001. However, under head coach Tommy Lloyd, they have yet to make a deep run in March Madness. Lloyd’s 112 wins in his first four seasons rank second in NCAA history, and he has Arizona in the Sweet 16 for the third time in four years.

Duke’s Road to the Elite Eight

The Blue Devils, a No. 1 seed, are coming off a dominant season (33-3) and seeking their second straight Elite Eight appearance. With five national championships and six runner-up finishes, Duke is no stranger to deep tournament runs. Cooper Flagg leads the team with 18.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, while Kon Knueppel is adding over 14 points per contest. Duke’s defense and rebounding were crucial in their win over Arizona earlier this season, and they will likely employ a similar strategy to neutralize Love and the Wildcats’ shooters. The Blue Devils also have the advantage of tournament experience and momentum after two strong performances in the opening rounds.