In a shocking turn of events, Houston defeated Duke 70-67 in the Final Four on Saturday night, pulling off one of the greatest upsets in recent memory. The Cougars trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half before staging an incredible comeback, capped off by a crucial dunk from Joseph Tugler and several clutch free throws.
With only 1:14 remaining, Duke held a 67-61 lead, but a missed layup by Kon Knueppel set off a chain reaction. Emmanuel Sharp’s three-pointer on the other end cut the deficit to five points. Houston then took advantage of a disputed call that sent J’Wan Roberts to the line for two free throws, which sealed the victory.
Despite Duke having a 96.5% chance to win with just over 11 minutes left, several factors contributed to their downfall. A missed free throw by point guard Cameron Proctor, followed by a disputed technical foul against teammate Joseph Tugler, allowed Houston to stay in the game. Meanwhile, Sharp’s clutch three-pointer and Tugler’s dunk kept the momentum on the Cougars’ side.
The loss marks a tough end to freshman sensation Cooper Flagg’s season, who is now widely expected to be the top pick in the NBA draft. Duke coach Jon Scheyer acknowledged that his team was not prepared for the Houston comeback, saying “We just got out-executed.”
The win propels Houston into the Final Four semifinals, where they will face an awaiting opponent on Friday night.
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball/live/final-four-scores-results-houston-stuns-duke-after-late-cooper-flagg-miss-florida-tops-auburn-to-set-up-championship-game-203030651.html