Duke And UConn Meet For 6th Time In NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

The Blue Devils and Huskies have a long history in the Big Dance, with Duke holding a 6-4 edge in their previous matchups.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 9:22pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a college basketball game, with the players and court broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in vibrant colors, conveying the intensity and energy of the matchup between Duke and UConn.Two of college basketball's most storied programs clash in the NCAA tournament, with a Final Four berth on the line.St. Petersburg Today

Duke and UConn will meet for the 11th time overall and the 6th time in the NCAA tournament when the No. 1 seed Blue Devils face the No. 2 seed Huskies in the East Region final on Sunday. Duke holds a 6-4 advantage in the series, including three wins in five previous NCAA tournament meetings, but UConn has won the last two tournament matchups between the two storied programs.

Why it matters

This Elite Eight clash pits two of college basketball's blue bloods against each other with a trip to the Final Four on the line. Duke and UConn have combined for 11 national championships and are two of the most recognizable brands in the sport. Their history in the NCAA tournament dates back to 1964 and includes several classic matchups, including UConn's national title game win over the Blue Devils in 1999.

The details

Duke and UConn will be meeting for the first time since December 2014, when the Blue Devils won 66-56 at the Izod Center in New Jersey. Duke's current head coach, Jon Scheyer, was an assistant for that game. Scheyer is now in his fourth season leading the Blue Devils, who have made the Elite Eight in each of the last three years. UConn, meanwhile, is led by Dan Hurley, who grew up watching his older brother Bobby play for Duke in the early 1990s.

  • The teams last faced each other in December 2014 when Duke won 66-56.
  • Sunday's game will be the 11th meeting between Duke and UConn, with the Blue Devils holding a 6-4 edge in the series.

The players

Jon Scheyer

Duke's head coach, who was an assistant for the Blue Devils when they last faced UConn in 2014.

Dan Hurley

UConn's head coach, who grew up watching his older brother Bobby play for Duke in the early 1990s.

Christian Laettner

Duke's star player who hit the game-winning shot against UConn in the 1990 NCAA tournament.

Emeka Okafor

UConn's All-American center who led the Huskies to the 2004 national championship.

Ben Gordon

UConn's star guard who was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft after leading the Huskies to the title.

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What they’re saying

“I would not have imagined I'd be on either side of this. Pretty cool to be in an Elite Eight game versus Duke here after having witnessed so much of it.”

— Dan Hurley, UConn Head Coach

“You know how big of a brand Duke is. You know how big of a brand UConn is. Two blue bloods in college basketball...You come to UConn to play in games like those.”

— Alex Karaban, UConn Senior Forward

“I don't think we have any extra buzz when we think about UConn.”

— Isaiah Evans, Duke Sophomore Wing

What’s next

The winner of Sunday's East Region final between Duke and UConn will advance to the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four.

The takeaway

This matchup between two of college basketball's most successful and recognizable programs will be a highly anticipated showdown in the Elite Eight, with the winner earning a trip to the Final Four and a chance at the national championship.