Duke has more than a ticket to the Elite Eight on the line on Sunday. The Blue Devils could accomplish something the program hasn’t done since 1994.
The Blue Devils have played a team seeded above them in the NCAA Tournament five times since 1994, and Duke has gone home after every game.
In fact, Duke hasn’t taken down a team above them in the rankings since Grant Hill led the squad past No. 1 Purdue in 1994.
The last three times the Blue Devils played a No. 1 seed when they weren’t a top seed themselves, they lost. This year, Duke is a No. 4 seed in the South region. Houston, their Sweet 16 opponent, is the top-ranked team in the region.
Granted, five times in three full decades is a microscopic sample size, especially considering that the Blue Devils have won three national titles in that same time frame. They don’t run into teams better than them too often. However, it’s still a three-decade streak.
Duke hasn’t beaten a higher-seed since 1994 (via Reddit: 0010001)
Thats 30 years. pic.twitter.com/ZWTFjyMdL8
— Mark Titus Show (@MarkTitusShow) March 25, 2024
Duke has a chance to change some program history on Friday night. Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 9:40 p.m. on CBS.