Duke vs UConn: 'Two of the biggest brands in college basketball going at it to make Final Four'

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Duke vs UConn: 'Two of the biggest brands in college basketball going at it to make Final Four'

Duke vs UConn: 'Two of the biggest brands in college basketball going at it to make Final Four'

Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Sat, Mar 28, 2026 ·

6 min read

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WASHINGTON – Things didn't work quite as Dan Hurley hoped.

Earlier this week, the Connecticut coach implored fans of the Huskies and rival St. John's to put aside the rivalry and root for each team to advance out of the East Region semifinals for the fourth matchup this season, this time in the Elite Eight .

The No. 2 Huskies took care of their end of the bargain, beating No. 3 Michigan State 67-63 thanks to the play of veterans Alex Karaban , Tarris Reed Jr. and Solo Ball . But the No. 5 Red Storm couldn't get over the hump against No. 1 Duke , losing 80-75 in the most physical game of this year's NCAA Tournament.

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Instead of an all-Big East rematch, the Elite Eight will feature a rekindled rivalry between the Huskies and Blue Devils , who engaged in three similarly high-stakes tournament games in the 1990s culminating in a UConn win in 1999 for the first of the program's six national championships.

"UConn and Duke have been the two best college basketball programs on the men's side in the last 30 years," Hurley said. "So it's a pretty cool matchup."

UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
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UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
(Bill Streicher, Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)

UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts with guard Malachi Smith (0) in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
(Kyle Ross, Kyle Ross-Imagn Images)

UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts with UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
(Bill Streicher, Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts after defeating the UCLA Bruins in a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
(Bill Streicher, Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts 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, Amber Searls-Imagn Images)

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 20: Head coach Dan Hurley of the UConn Huskies reacts against the Furman Paladins during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

Head coach Dan Hurley of the UConn Huskies reacts against the Furman Paladins during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 22: UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 22: UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts after Braylon Mullins #24 of the UConn Huskies shot during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 22: UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts during the second half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: Head coach Dan Hurley of the UConn Huskies looks on during the first half against the Michigan State Spartans in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 27, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: Head coach Dan Hurley of the UConn Huskies reacts during the second half against the Michigan State Spartans in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 27, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

Duke, UConn have deep March Madness history

Like every previous pairing, the sixth tournament matchup in the rivalry's history will decide who plays for and potentially wins the national championship.

Duke and UConn first met in the 1964 Elite Eight, with the Blue Devils rolling to a 101-54 rout before finishing as the national runner-up. In 1990, the Blue Devils pulled out a 79-78 win in the Elite Eight before again losing in the title game.

A year later, Duke topped UConn 81-67 in the Sweet 16 and then advanced for the program's first national championship. The two faced off in the 1999 championship game, with the Huskies winning 77-74. The most recent matchup, in the 2004 national semifinals, ended with UConn winning 79-78 before going on to beat Georgia Tech for former coach Jim Calhoun's second title.

"You have two of the biggest brands in college basketball going at it to make it to the Final Four," Karaban said. "You've seen Duke. You've seen UConn throughout your entire life when you watch college basketball growing up. To be another piece of that story of those two programs going at it, I think it's awesome."

UConn experience battles Duke young talent

This Elite Eight matchup features one immediate contrast: While Duke is again built around underclassmen, including star freshman forward Cameron Boozer , UConn is a veteran-driven team that has leaned on this experience to win challenging tournament games against No. 15 Furman, No. 7 UCLA and the Spartans.

But there's a question of whether experience really matters at this stage of the season. While younger, Duke has been tested enough in this tournament — against the Red Storm and in the opening round against No. 16 Siena, which had a double-digit halftime lead — to potentially erase the Huskies' edge.

"I think it's less about the age and more about the mindset, the competitiveness, their feel for the game," said Duke coach Jon Scheyer. "I think that's really something important for me and this program. And the rest takes care of itself."

Karaban may be the game's biggest wild card. More of a complementary piece during the program's back-to-back championships in 2023 and 2024, he's averaging 20.3 points per game in this year's tournament and has made 11 of his 25 attempts from 3-point range. He brings into Sunday night a remarkable 16-1 record in tournament play.

"At the end of the day also, he's just a competitor and a winner," Boozer said. "He's a great player."

On the Duke side, one key will be landing a similar impact from point guard Caleb Foster , who made an unexpected recovery from a fractured foot suffered earlier this month to contribute 11 points across 19 minutes of action against the Red Storm.

His availability brings the Blue Devils' depth back to normal strength and sets up an intriguing backcourt matchup between Foster, freshman Cayden Boozer and Isaiah Evans against the Huskies' main group of Ball, Silas Demary Jr. and Braylon Mullins .

For Duke, getting Foster back is "huge confidence builder for the people around him," said Hurley.

Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri.

(Jamie Squire, Getty Images)

Kansas Jayhawks cheerleaders perform before a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the St. John's Red Storm at Viejas Arena on March 22, 2026 in San Diego, Calif.
(Denis Poroy, Imagn Images)

Nebraska's Berke Buyuktuncel celebrates with fans following a second-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on March 21, 2026.

(SARAH PHIPPS, THE OKLAHOMAN via USA TODAY NETWORK)

Arkansas Razorbacks cheerleaders in the second half against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore.

(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)

VCU Rams fans react after a 3-pointer by Terrence Hill Jr. #6 of the VCU Rams in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images)

Howard Bison cheerleaders perform during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Michigan Wolverines at Keybank Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY.
(Mark Konezny, Imagn Images)

BYU Cougars cheerleader in the second half against the Texas Longhorns during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

Former North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams is seen in the crowd against the VCU Rams in the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Mar 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)

Texas A&M Aggies cheerleaders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)

Texas Longhorns band in the first half against the BYU Cougars during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Portland.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

St. John's Red Storm mascot Johnny Thunder mixes with players prior to taking the court during practice day ahead of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 19, 2026 in San Diego, California.
(Sean M. Haffey, Getty Images)

A Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleader practices before the game during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.

(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)

The High Point Panthers fans cheer during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)

The High Point Panthers cheerleaders react during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Troy Wayrynen, Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images)

The North Dakota State Bison mascot and cheerleaders pose for a photo before the game against the Michigan State Spartans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY
(Gregory Fisher, Imagn Images)

Nebraska Cornhuskers fans cheer after defeating the Troy Trojans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(Alonzo Adams, Imagn Images)

The Wisconsin Badgers mascot performs during a time out during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

A view of Buddy the Street Dog as Queens University of Charlotte Royals guard Yoav Berman talks to the media during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on March 19, 2026.
(Jeff Le, Imagn Images)

The High Point Panthers band performs prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

High Point Panthers fans cheer prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

The Wisconsin Badgers cheerleaders preform during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

The South Florida Bulls mascot performs during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY.
(Mark Konezny, Imagn Images)

The Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleaders perform in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Jim Dedmon, Imagn Images)

The Troy Trojans mascot dances on the floor during the second half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(William Purnell, William Purnell-Imagn Images)

The UCF Knights band performs during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 19, 2026 in Philadelphia.
(Bill Streicher, Imagn Images)

Nebraska Cornhuskers cheerleaders perform during the second half against the Troy Trojans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)

A Wisconsin Badgers cheerleader performs during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

The Ohio State Buckeyes cheerleaders perform in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)

Akron Zips fans in the first half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
(Matt Pendleton, Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Texas Tech Red Raiders cheerleaders in the first half against the Akron Zips during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Santa Clara Broncos fans react to game play against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 20, 2026 in St. Louis, MO.
(Jeff Le, Jeff Le-Imagn Images)

Akron Zips cheerleaders and mascot in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
(Matt Pendleton, Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Wright State Raiders fans celebrate after a Wright State Raiders guard TJ Burch (22) scores during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA.
(Bill Streicher, Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)

Hofstra Pride cheerleaders in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
(Matt Pendleton, Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Garth Noble of the Louisville pep band is amped at the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky. March 21, 2026.
(Matt Stone/Courier Journal)

Michigan head coach Dusty May high-fives players after 95-72 win over Saint Louis at the NCAA Tournament Second Round at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
(Junfu Han, USA TODAY NETWORK)

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish band and spirit squad cheer during the first round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament against the Fairfield Stags at Ohio State's Schottenstein Center in Columbus on March 21, 2026.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Frontcourt, physicality are biggest Elite Eight factors

But a Final Four berth should be determined by two related factors.

The first is the battle in the frontcourt pitting Reed against Boozer and center Patrick Ngongba II. Reed has battled inconsistency in this tournament, sandwiching his game against the Spartans and some monster numbers against Furman with a 10-point performance against UCLA that saw him struggle to get position in the paint and shoot just 3 of 8 from the field.

Should UConn work to get him active, however, Reed's variety of slippery post moves could force Cameron Boozer to overexert himself on the defensive end, especially with Ngongba still working his way back from a lingering foot injury.

"Obviously, Reed down low is a handful," Scheyer said.

On the other hand, Boozer has continued to show why he's a favorite for national player of the year and a strong contender for the first pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. He's posted at least 19 points and 10 rebounds in his three tournament games and has been adept at getting to the line, making 26 of his 28 free-throw attempts.

Given how often the UConn offense runs through Reed in the halfcourt set, whether the senior can stay out of foul trouble after being whistled four times against MSU could determine the Huskies' chances.

But the biggest question mark heading into the Elite Eight is whether the Blue Devils can carry over the physical play that helped them escape against St. John's and coach Rick Pitino.

This ferocious style got the better of UConn twice during the regular season, including in the Red Storm's dominant 72-52 win in the Big East tournament championship. The Huskies did wallop St. John's once during the regular season, winning 72-40 on Feb. 25 after forcing 24 misses from the field in a row to end the game.

Which team shows up on Sunday — the one that pushed back on the Red Storm's physicality or the one that wilted — will determine who advances to the Final Four.

"I think it's their character," Scheyer said of his team. "I think it's about the fact of learning on the fly, realizing they can be that good. Then I think that belief has kicked in the second half of the year."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Duke, UConn to rekindle March Madness rivalry with Final Four at stake

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Frontcourt, physicality are biggest Elite Eight factors