No. 4-seed Duke is still alive after taking down No. 1-seed Houston in the Sweet 16 with a 54-51 victory. The Blue Zone is here to break down the contest with a Player of the Game and more:
One player: Kyle Filipowski
Sophomore center Kyle Filipowski did not back down against Houston in his Sweet 16 performance. Scoring Duke’s first 3-point jumper of the game, Filipowski got the Blue Devils back into a groove. Going 3-for-5 from three with 16 points, the Westtown, N.Y., native was giving the Cougars a run for their money. After multiple tough turnovers for Duke, Filipowski fought back and regained possession with nine rebounds throughout the game. Despite a few missed jumpers in the second half, the Wilbraham and Monson product proved that he is a key player on the team. With a clash against N.C. State Sunday, the Blue Devils will be waiting to see if Filipowski can continue his scoring and rebounding streak in hopes that the squad advances to the Final Four.
One word: Resilience
Despite a rocky start with Duke down eight points against Houston, the Blue Devils were able to work together and come out with a win. Duke got its first lead of the game with two minutes and 46 seconds left in the first half, making the score 21-20. While the Cougars were able to tie it a few times, the Blue Devils maintained their lead for most of the contest. Despite tough plays by Houston, Duke was able to find gaps and take good shots, hold its ground against the Cougars’ offense and work as a team to beat the No. 1 seed. The test now is to see if the Blue Devils can continue to work together and ride this winning momentum through the rest of the NCAA tournament.
One stat: 34 Rebounds
Duke’s rebounding effort was critical for its victory against Houston. The Blue Devils had 13 offensive boards, reflecting the team’s hustle and attempt to get every shot. This allowed them to control the clock and pace of the game. Duke also had 21 rebounds on the defensive end, which was essential in limiting the Cougars’ scoring and opening up more offensive opportunities. These rebounds were instrumental in helping the Blue Devils advance to the Elite Eight, revealing the team’s collective effort to fight for every ball on both sides of the court.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.