- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Duke's Jon Scheyer Struggles to Find Words After Tough NCAA Tournament Loss
The Blue Devils' coach is dealing with raw emotions after a heartbreaking defeat against UConn.
Mar. 30, 2026 at 3:27am
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The final seconds of the Duke vs. UConn NCAA Tournament game are deconstructed into a cubist masterpiece, capturing the raw emotion and tension of the dramatic finish.Durham TodayDuke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer was left speechless after his team's 74-73 loss to UConn in the NCAA Tournament. Scheyer expressed how difficult it was to process the defeat, saying his players 'don't deserve that ending' to their incredible season. The coach acknowledged he's never experienced a locker room atmosphere like that before and is still trying to find meaning in the tough loss.
Why it matters
Duke was expected to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, so the early exit is a major disappointment for the program and its fans. Scheyer's raw, emotional reaction highlights just how much this loss stings for the Blue Devils, who had high hopes of competing for a national championship.
The details
With less than a second left on the clock, UConn guard Braylon Mullins hit a 3-pointer to give the Huskies the victory and end Duke's season. Scheyer said he's never been in a situation like that before, either as a player or a coach. The Blue Devils had done 'stuff that hasn't been done before' this season, making the NCAA Tournament loss even harder to swallow.
- The NCAA Tournament loss occurred on March 30, 2026.
The players
Jon Scheyer
The head coach of the Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team.
Braylon Mullins
The UConn guard who hit the game-winning 3-pointer to defeat Duke.
Cam Boozer
A Duke player who is likely to enter the NBA draft, leaving a major hole for the Blue Devils to fill.
What they’re saying
“I don't have the words for you. All I know is these guys don't deserve that ending. They've been incredible this year and don't deserve the ending, and I don't have the words for you.”
— Jon Scheyer, Head Coach, Duke Blue Devils
“Well, I've never been in a locker room like that before with that kind of game. These guys literally have done stuff that haven't been done before. And you know, you're literally an inch away from the promised land and we got to process this together. And just like we've done all year and not gonna stop that now.”
— Jon Scheyer, Head Coach, Duke Blue Devils
What’s next
Duke will head back to Durham to regroup and determine their next steps, including addressing the departure of Cam Boozer to the NBA.
The takeaway
This heartbreaking NCAA Tournament loss for the Duke Blue Devils is a tough pill to swallow, but it also highlights the incredible season they had and the strong emotional connection between the players and their coach, Jon Scheyer. The team will need to process this defeat and use it as motivation to come back even stronger next season.
