Duke Edges St. John's 80-75 in Sweet 16 Thriller

Blue Devils advance to Elite Eight with late rally against Red Storm

Mar. 28, 2026 at 7:25am

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In a closely contested NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 matchup, No. 1 seed Duke defeated No. 5 seed St. John's 80-75 on Friday night. Duke's Isaiah Evans scored 25 points, while Cameron Boozer added 22 points and 10 rebounds. Caleb Foster, returning from injury, contributed 11 points in the second half to help the Blue Devils overcome a 10-point deficit early in the second half. Zuby Ejiofor led St. John's with 17 points, but the Red Storm's 3-point shooting went cold late as Duke rallied for the victory.

Why it matters

This win keeps Duke's national championship hopes alive as they advance to the Elite Eight for the third consecutive year under coach Jon Scheyer. St. John's, making its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1999, put up a valiant effort but ultimately fell short against the tournament's top overall seed.

The details

Duke overcame a 10-point second-half deficit by clamping down on defense and dominating the glass, outrebounding St. John's 40-27. The Blue Devils went on an 8-0 run late to take the lead for good, with Evans hitting a key 3-pointer and Boozer converting a three-point play. St. John's had a chance to tie it in the final seconds but missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 28, 2026.
  • Duke closed the regular season with a win over North Carolina on March 7, 2026.

The players

Isaiah Evans

A Duke guard who scored a team-high 25 points in the win.

Cameron Boozer

A Duke forward who recorded a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds.

Caleb Foster

A Duke guard who returned from injury to score 11 points in the second half.

Zuby Ejiofor

A St. John's forward who led the Red Storm with 17 points.

Rick Pitino

The head coach of St. John's, making his 14th Sweet 16 appearance.

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What they’re saying

“We knew St. John's was going to be a tough challenge, but our guys showed a lot of heart and determination to battle back and get the win.”

— Jon Scheyer, Duke Head Coach

What’s next

Duke will face the winner of UConn and Michigan State in the East Regional final, with a spot in the Final Four on the line.

The takeaway

This thrilling Sweet 16 matchup demonstrated the depth of talent and competitive spirit in this year's NCAA Tournament, as the top-seeded Blue Devils had to fight hard to fend off a scrappy St. John's squad and keep their national championship aspirations alive.