Isaiah Evans led the Blue Devils past St. John's, but a battle-tested Huskies squad awaits in the next round.
For the third straight year, Duke is moving on to the Elite Eight after a hard-fought victory over 5-seed St. John's. The Blue Devils have been battling injuries over the last few weeks, but were finally able to get two key players back in Patrick Ngongba and Caleb Foster, giving the roster a much-needed boost at the right time.
Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer talks to a referee March 21, 2026 during the second half of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second round East Region game with TCU at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesMar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans dribbles the ball against the St. John's Red Storm in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images Isaiah Evans led the Blue Devils in scoring with 25 points, delivering one of his best performances of the season. Evans was a threat both attacking the basket and shooting from the perimeter, finishing 10-of-15 from the field and 4-of-8 from three-point range in an efficient and well-rounded offensive showing. Cameron Boozer delivered another dominant performance, finishing with 22 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field while going 8-of-9 from the free throw line and pulling down 10 rebounds. Boozer was his usual physical presence in the paint and made life difficult for the St. John's frontcourt all night. Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer dribbles the ball against St. John's Red Storm forward Ruben Prey in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images Maliq Brown was a defensive monster for Duke. The ACC Defensive Player of the Year turned in a remarkable performance, finishing with four blocks and two steals while committing just two fouls.who finished with 17 points on 6-of-17 from the field and 2-of-5 from three-point range. Holding one of the best players in the country to that level of efficiency was as impressive an individual defensive effort as Duke has had all season. Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster dribbles the ball past St. John's Red Storm forward Dillon Mitchell in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Imageswas confirmed just hours before tip-off, and he came off the bench alongside Patrick Ngongba. Ngongba struggled in his limited minutes, finishing with just three points on 1-of-6 shooting from the free throw line. Foster, on the other hand, showed no signs of rust, particularly in the second half. He scored all 11 of his points after halftime, finishing 5-of-8 from the field with three rebounds and two assists in an encouraging return.Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Imageswho won back-to-back national championships not long ago and remain one of the most dangerous programs in the country. UConn advanced to the Elite Eight with a hard-fought 67-63 win over Michigan State in the Sweet 16. Despite building a 19-point lead through the first 10 minutes of the game, the Huskies were pushed to the limit by a resilient Spartans squad before holding on for the win.was dominant against Michigan State, finishing with 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field to go along with five rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal. Alex Karaban was once again a lethal presence from the outside, going 3-of-8 from three-point range for 17 points while grabbing a team-high seven rebounds and adding two blocks. Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; UConn Huskies forward Tarris Reed Jr. dribbles the ball against the Michigan State Spartans in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Defensively, UConn has been exceptional throughout the tournament, holding both Michigan State and UCLA to under 40% shooting from the field and below 40% from three-point range. Duke will need to be sharper and more efficient offensively than either of those teams was. Duke has earned its way back to the Elite Eight, and the returning health of Foster and Ngongba could not have come at a better time. But UConn presents a different kind of challenge. Reed is one of the most dominant big men in the country, Karaban can get hot from three in a hurry, and the Huskies' defense has been suffocating all tournament long. If Duke brings the same energy and execution they showed against St. John's, this has the makings of one of the best games of the tournament.LUKE JOSEPH Luke Joseph is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in journalism. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of sports and commitment to storytelling, he serves as a general sports reporter On SI, covering the NFL and college athletics with insight and expertise.
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