DALLAS, Texas (KTRK) — The Duke Blue Devils have been synonymous with March Madness almost to the point that Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s teams over the last four decades were virtual locks for a Final Four run.
On Friday, inside American Airlines Center, the Houston Cougars men’s basketball program isn’t facing “Coach K,” but they’re indeed facing a brand.
Krzyzewski retired after his 13th Final Four appearance in 2022.
Just as storied are the Coogs, who have six Final Four appearances to their name and a legacy that includes Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, and Elvin Hayes. However, they lack what the Blue Devils earned five times in the Krzyzewski era – a national championship.
And to add more suspense, Friday’s 8:39 p.m. tip-off will be the moment two teams who have never faced each other finally square off, with an Elite Eight spot on the line.
Squaring up Duke
Jon Scheyer, formerly a Blue Devils recruit and later Krzyzewski’s assistant, succeeded the coaching legend in 2022, debuting in the March Madness tournament with just a first-round victory. This season, the No. 4 Blue Devils have improved from the previous year, boasting five players who averaged double-digits in scoring.
Seven-foot sophomore center Kyle Filipowski is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder and could cause problems for a Coogs team that got into foul trouble against Texas A&M last Sunday.
Duke is a respectable 42nd in the nation in offense and 32nd in defense. The Blue Devils are also 11th in point differential.
Of course, Houston outranks Duke in defense and point differential at first and third, respectively.
Houston’s odds
ESPN Bet favors the Coogs by 4.5 points, which suggests a back-and-forth game that may come down to the last possessions of regulation.
ESPN Analytics’ Matchup Predictor gave Houston a three-to-one edge on winning – 76.5% to 23.5%.
ABC13 sports director Greg Bailey is in Dallas with the Cougars. Watch Eyewitness News broadcasts for live reports leading up to the matchup.
More coverage on UH’s March Madness run
Fans cheer as the University of Houston basketball team heads to Dallas for Sweet 16.
Copyright © 2024 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.
[ad_2]
https://abc13.com/march-madness-houston-game-today-cougars-basketball-sweet-sixteen/14580641/
