No. 1 Duke Survives Scare, Faces No. 9 TCU Next

Blue Devils look to avoid another upset as they take on history-chasing Horned Frogs

Mar. 21, 2026 at 6:49am

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Duke narrowly escaped an upset bid from Siena in the first round, winning 71-65 after trailing by 11 points at halftime. Now the top-seeded Blue Devils turn their attention to No. 9 TCU, who is seeking its first-ever Sweet 16 berth. Duke star Cameron Boozer led the way with 22 points and 13 rebounds, but the team admitted they didn't come out ready to play. TCU also survived a scare, rallying to beat Ohio State 66-64 in the opening round.

Why it matters

Duke is the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament and is looking to make a deep run, but the close call against Siena has raised questions about the team's focus and mentality. TCU, meanwhile, is chasing history as it tries to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams.

The details

Duke forward Maliq Brown acknowledged during the halftime interview that the team 'thought it was going to be a cakewalk' against Siena. Even after Boozer's big game helped the Blue Devils avoid the upset, the freshman All-American said the team 'really didn't come out ready to play' and needs to be 'a lot better moving forward.' TCU also faced adversity, blowing a 15-point halftime lead against Ohio State before rallying late for the win. Horned Frogs coach Jamie Dixon said it's 'time' for his team to advance past the second round, calling it a 'challenge' to face a No. 1 seed like Duke.

  • On Thursday, Duke narrowly escaped Siena 71-65.
  • On Saturday, Duke will face TCU in the second round.

The players

Cameron Boozer

Duke's freshman phenom, a unanimous first-team All-American, led the Blue Devils with 22 points and 13 rebounds in the first-round win.

Jon Scheyer

Duke's fourth-year head coach, who knows a great regular season can come to a halt in March Madness.

David Punch

TCU's leading scorer (14.4 ppg) and rebounder (6.9 rpg), who is eager to face Boozer and the Blue Devils.

Jamie Dixon

TCU's head coach, who said it's 'time' for his team to advance past the second round for the first time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams.

Xavier Edmonds

TCU's big man, who hit the game-winning shot to lift the Horned Frogs past Ohio State in the first round.

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What they’re saying

“I think we really didn't come out ready to play (on Thursday) and we've got to be a lot better moving forward.”

— Cameron Boozer

“You have to go into this thing as the aggressors. That's why we've been really good and we've had the year that we've had. It's all about getting back to ourselves, nothing other than doing what we've done, defending, rebounding, the whole thing. Our talk and energy, I can tell you it will be back (Saturday). I know these guys, and it will be back the way it needs to be.”

— Jon Scheyer, Duke head coach

“It's time. Certainly with a No. 1 seed, it's a challenge. This is where you want to be. This is what you work for, to be at this point. Now you've got to do the job. You've got to play well and play together. I think we're ready to play together. We've just got to play well.”

— Jamie Dixon, TCU head coach

“I think he's a lot like us, just how he creates his shots. I'm excited to see me and X go up against him. It's a great opportunity for me and him to showcase how good we are on a stage like that.”

— David Punch, TCU player

What’s next

The winner of the Duke-TCU matchup will advance to the Sweet 16.

The takeaway

Duke's close call against Siena has raised questions about the team's focus and mentality heading into the second round, but the Blue Devils have a chance to silence those doubts against a TCU squad that is chasing its own piece of history.