In what might go down as one of the most jaw-dropping finishes in NCAA Tournament history, the Houston Cougars stormed back from a 14-point second-half deficit to defeat the Duke Blue Devils 70-67 on Saturday night and book their ticket to the national championship game.
Duke looked poised to cruise into the title game, led by freshman sensation Cooper Flagg, who dropped an electric 27 points. With just 1:40 left on the clock, the Blue Devils were up by 7—and then, the meltdown began.
Houston’s Defense Locked In.
Over the final 10 and a half minutes, Duke managed just one field goal as Houston clamped down with relentless defensive pressure. The Cougars closed the game on a 9-0 run, silencing the Duke-heavy crowd and rewriting the narrative in real time.
L.J. Cryer lit it up for Houston with 26 points, carrying the scoring load, while freshman Joseph Tugler sank two clutch free throws with 19.6 seconds left to give Houston its first lead since early in the game.
The Final Possession? Pure Chaos.
Duke, rattled and scrambling, failed to convert in the closing seconds, sealing their fate and sending Houston to its first national title game since 1984.
“This was grit, heart, and never giving up,” one Houston player said postgame. And they meant every word of it.
What’s Next?
The Cougars now face the red-hot Florida Gators in the national championship game—a battle of resilience, firepower, and redemption. Can Houston finish the dream? Or will Florida bite back?
Either way, this Final Four clash will be remembered as the night Houston proved the game isn’t over until that final buzzer sounds.
