Jon Scheyer to Succeed Mike Krzyzewski as Duke Men's Basketball Coach
Jun 2, 2021
COLUMBIA, SC - MARCH 21: Associate head coach Jon Scheyer of the Duke Blue Devils looks on during their practice session prior to the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship at Colonial Life Arena on March 21, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
Jon Scheyer has been named the successor to Mike Krzyzewski as head basketball coach of the Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team.
Krzyzewski officially announced his intention to retire following the 2021-22 season on Wednesday, with the school naming Scheyer as the replacement.
In a statement, Scheyer noted he is "deeply committed" to continuing the Blue Devils' championship legacy:
Duke University has been a central part of my life for more than a decade, and I could not ask for a better place to continue my career. This is absolutely humbling. First, I offer extreme gratitude to the greatest coach of all time whose career is unrivaled in basketball. Coach K has built the premier program in our sport thanks to his unwavering competitive edge, a tireless attention to detail, a family-first approach and a remarkable compassion and care of his players, coaches, and staff. He has set a standard that every coach at every level should strive to achieve.
I'd also like to express my sincere appreciation to President Vincent Price, Kevin White and Nina King for believing in me and providing me this opportunity. It is an honor to call this great institution my alma mater, and I'm deeply committed to furthering its academic and athletics excellence while continuing the championship legacy of Duke Basketball.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Duke spoke with outside candidates, including former Duke player and current Harvard head coach Tommy Amaker, before deciding on Scheyer, who currently serves as the team's associate head coach.
Krzyzewski has been Duke's head coach since March 18, 1980. He took over a program that made just eight NCAA tournament appearances in its first 27 seasons as a member of the ACC.
After three initial rebuilding years, the Blue Devils have grown to become one of the most dominant and storied basketball programs in the nation. They have won five NCAA championships, 12 ACC regular-season titles and 15 ACC tournament titles under Krzyzewski.
Scheyer played for Krzyzewski for four years from 2006-10. He was part of the Blue Devils' national championship team as a senior in 2009-10. The Illinois native led the team with 23 points in a 78-57 win over West Virginia in the Final Four.
After playing four seasons overseas, Scheyer was named a full-time assistant coach on Krzyzewski's staff in April 2014. The 33-year-old won a championship as a coach during the 2014-15 season when the Blue Devils beat Wisconsin in the national title game. He was named associate head coach in 2018.
Duke is scheduled to begin Krzyzewski's final season at the helm on Nov. 9 against Kentucky in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden.
Duke's Mike Krzyzewski to Retire After 2021-22 Season; Jon Scheyer Named Replacement
Jun 2, 2021
Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski directs his team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Boston College in the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Tuesday, March 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Legendary Duke men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski plans to retire after the 2021-22 season.
Krzyzewski announced his decision in a statement on Wednesday:
My family and I view today as a celebration. Our time at both West Point and Duke has been beyond amazing and we are thankful and honored to have led two college programs at world-class institutions for more than four decades. That, coupled with 11 unforgettable years as the United States National Team coach, has resulted in a remarkable journey. Certainly, I have been blessed to coach some of the finest young men and greatest players in basketball history as a direct result of these unique opportunities. For us, there is no greater joy than being part of our players' respective endeavors through basketball, and more importantly, their lives off the court. Our family is eternally grateful to everyone who contributed to our career for the past 46 years. So, to the countless members of our extended family, thank you very much.
Associate head coach Jon Scheyer was named as the successor to Krzyzewski.
Krzyzewski will be entering his 42nd season as the Duke head coach. He is the winningest coach in men's college basketball history with 1,170 victories and has led the Blue Devils to 12 Final Fours and five national championships. He coached Army for five years before taking over at Duke.
Duke has not gotten past the Elite Eight since it won the 2015 national championship, and it struggled to a 13-11 record last season. Coach K hinted that retirement could be near in an interview with Rece Davis in February.
"It's frustrating that you can't do all the things you normally do and you don't achieve that success," he said. "Well, in about a week, I'll be 74 years old. You know, whether it's the light at the end of the tunnel or the end of the cave or whatever the hell it is, it's there.
"Whenever it happens, it's going to happen. I can't be focused on that. I'm focused on this team."
"In my 46 years, there's never been a time like this."
Scheyer, 33, has been an assistant coach at Duke since 2013. The former Blue Devils guard has become a well-respected voice within the program and was promoted to associate head coach in 2018. Other programs have taken notice, with Scheyer interviewing for the head coaching position at DePaul in March.
As ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted, Scheyer was the lead recruiter when Jayson Tatum and Zion Williamson came to Durham. It's possible a desire to leave the program in good hands and Scheyer's rising star within the coaching ranks led Coach K to reportedly walk away.
Krzyzewski's retirement means Duke and North Carolina will have lost their legendary coaches within a calendar year. Roy Williams announced his retirement following the 2020-21 season and was replaced by assistant Hubert Davis.
Nolan Smith Hired as Duke Assistant Coach Under Mike Krzyzewski
Apr 15, 2021
DURHAM, NC - NOVEMBER 11: (L-R) Associate head coach Jeff Capel, head coach Mike Krzyzewski and special assistant Nolan Smith of the Duke Blue Devils smile following their 99-69 win against the Utah Valley Wolverines at Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Durham, North Carolina. The win gives Mike Krzyzewski his 1,000th victory as Duke's head coach and his 1,073rd overall (73 at Army). (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
The Duke men's basketball team announced former player Nolan Smith will be an assistant coach under head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
The 32-year-old had been on the team's staff since 2016, starting as a special assistant before becoming director of basketball operations and player development in 2018. He now fills the vacancy left by Nate James, who was named the head coach of Austin Peay earlier this month.
Smith is best known for his playing career at Duke from 2007-11, helping the Blue Devils take home the national championship in 2010 alongside Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler. Scheyer is also on the current Duke staff.
As a senior, Smith led the team with 20.6 points per game and was a consensus All-American.
The guard was taken in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft, but his career lasted just two seasons. After spending time in the G League as well as Croatia and Turkey, Smith eventually ended his playing career and returned to Durham to start his coaching career.
Krzyzewski praised Smith amid the latest announcement:
Nolan is a rising star. To get him on the court with our players on a day-to-day basis will mean so much to our program. Our players will benefit immensely from his enthusiasm to teach, but also the fact that he's young enough, he can show them. He can still play. We're very fortunate that he and his wife Cheyna are so involved in our program and our community. He is a national champion and has been such a great member of my staff as director of basketball operations, but he's done so much more for our school and our community. Nolan has always used his platform for the good of others. We are so lucky to have him and Durham is even luckier. The staff I'm fortunate to have of Jon Scheyer, Chris Carrawell and now Nolan Smith is a truly special one.
Duke is coming off a disappointing 2020-21 season where the squad finished 13-11 and missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1994-95.
Duke's Matthew Hurt Will Declare for 2021 NBA Draft, Hire Agent
Apr 14, 2021
ATLANTA, GA MARCH 02: Duke forward Matthew Hurt (21) shoots a three point shot during the NCAA basketball game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on March 2nd, 2021 at Hank McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Duke forward Matthew Hurt will be on the board at the 2021 NBA draft.
The sophomore told ESPN's Jonathan Givony he will hire an agent and forego his collegiate eligibility.
Hurt was a first-team All-ACC honoree and was named the conference's most improved player. He averaged 18.3 points and 6.1 rebounds on 55.6 percent shooting from the field and 44.4 percent from deep.
The 6'9" star is ranked No. 48 in ESPN's Top 100 list for the 2021 draft, though he didn't make the cut in the latest big board from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman.
According to Givony, Hurt is the second-best three-point shooter among players who are projected to go in the draft. Davion Mitchell of Baylor has the slight edge behind the arc, coming off of a year in which he shot 44.7 percent from three.
Still, Hurt's statistics put him in historical company. According to Givony, he will be just the second player in the last 30 years to be drafted after posting at least a 63 percent success rate in two-point range and 44 percent from deep.
The other was Doug McDermott, a Creighton product who is in his seventh NBA season and third with the Indiana Pacers.
Hurt previously played for Team USA at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship and played in the 2019 McDonald's All American Game and Nike Hoop Summit.
The NBA draft will be held July 29.
5-Star SG Prospect Trevor Keels Commits to Duke over Virginia, Villanova
Apr 2, 2021
Paul VI Trevor Keels #0 in action against Sierra Canyon during a high school basketball game at the Hoophall Classic, Monday, January 20, 2020, in Springfield, MA. DeMatha won the game. Paul VI won the game. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
Dynamic shooting guard Trevor Keels committed to Duke on Friday, according to ESPN's Paul Biancardi:
Five-star guard Trevor Keels has committed to Duke.
Keels to @PaulBiancardi: "Me and Coach K have a great relationship. He was always the same during the process. Straightforward guy. He told me what I needed to hear."
Blue Devils now have three five-star commitments in 2021.
Keels is the No. 3 shooting guard and No. 20 player overall in 2021, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
Jerry Meyer of 247Sports evaluated the Fairfax, Virginia, native in September and compared him to Denver Nuggets guard Gary Harris.
"Tremendous physical strength for a shooting guard," Meyer wrote. "Has length as well. Highly competitive with an impressive basketball IQ. Plays a power game but can score from all three levels. Solid ball handler. Good passer. Has strength to be a better rebounder. Solid defender."
Harris is a solid contributor for Denver, and Duke will be thrilled if Keels resembles the version of Harris that was a star at Michigan State. He was a first-team All-Big Ten player and Big Ten All-Defensive team player in 2014 while averaging 16.7 points per game.
Keels represented Team Takeover in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League and Peach Jam over the spring and summer in 2019. In 13 games, he averaged 10.9 points and 2.0 assists. He also shot 47.2 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from beyond the arc.
Keels was already on the radar of power programs across the country when Paul VI Catholic High School played IMG Academy, the second-ranked team nationally, in December 2019. His stock climbed even higher after he dropped 25 points in a 67-56 victory.
— Monumental Sports Network (@MonSportsNet) March 26, 2020
The 6'5" guard spotted up for deep three-pointers against IMG, proving he isn't afraid of the bright lights and big stage.
He delivered a three from beyond what would be the NBA arc in the final seconds of regulation later that month against Archbishop Wood, too, as Paul VI Catholic came back from a 16-point deficit to force overtime.
Keels shared a backcourt with Jeremy Roach, the No. 4 point guard in 247Sports' composite rankings for 2020. That undoubtedly allowed him some offensive freedom as teams focused on Roach, but his ability to stand out as much as he did speaks to his talent level.
He will be a lot of fun to watch at the next level.
Keels will follow his former teammate to Durham since Roach signed with the Blue Devils ahead of the 2020-21 season. Should Roach return for his sophomore season, Duke could have a potent guard combo.
Keels also adds to an incoming class that already included a pair of 5-star recruits, center Paolo Banchero and small forward AJ Griffin.
Mike Krzyzewski Says Kobe Bryant Is Best HS Basketball Player He's Ever Seen
Mar 17, 2021
USA Basketball Men's National Team guard Kobe Bryant, left, talks with head coach Mike Krzyzewski during a practice Saturday, July 14, 2012 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Duke men's basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski has recruited more than his fair share of talented high school players and future NBA stars during his 41 seasons leading the Blue Devils.
But the legendary coach told The Dream Team Tapes: Kobe, LeBron & The Redeem Teampodcast (18:17 mark) that Kobe Bryant was the best high school player he ever saw:
"You know, I never thought he would go to college. We recruited him but ... no one recruited him to any deep level because you knew. I never saw LeBron [James] play in high school, but when I saw Kobe play—he's the best high school player I've ever seen.
"And when he walked into a gym, he walked in like [Michael] Jordan, at a high school level. Like, the place stopped. He not only could play the role during a game, he played the role before and after the game. He looked that good, he believed he was that good, and he was that good. But, I knew he was never going to come [to Duke]."
Bryant, of course, went immediately to the NBA and had a Hall of Fame-worthy career, winning five titles with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was one of many players from his generation to skip out on college altogether and go straight to the NBA, alongside stars like James and Kevin Garnett.
Report: Duke May Play in NCAA Tournament If Selected At-Large or as Replacement
Mar 13, 2021
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski calls to players during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Duke could reportedly still play in its 25th consecutive NCAA tournament with an at-large bid or as a COVID-19 replacement team after it withdrew from the ACC tournament because of a positive coronavirus test.
Though Blue Devils athletic director Kevin White said the withdrawal would "end our 2020-21 season," ESPN's Rece Davis reported Saturday that outlook has changed, with the team preparing for a possible return if selected to the March Madness field.
Duke was a bubble team entering the conference tournament and opened with victories over Boston College and Louisville to reach the quarterfinals. It pulled out of the event ahead of a matchup with Florida State following the positive test.
Head coach Mike Krzyzewski expressed disappointment about the season's apparent ending:
"While our season was different than any other that I can remember, I loved the 2020-21 Duke Basketball team and was honored to be their coach. We have not asked more of any team in our history, and they deserve enormous credit for handling everything like the outstanding young men they are. I feel deeply for our players, who have done a terrific job all season in taking care of each other and the team. I am extremely proud of their collective attitudes and effort, which could not have been stronger. We are disappointed we cannot keep fighting together as a group after two outstanding days in Greensboro. This season was a challenge for every team across the country and as we have seen over and over, this global pandemic is very cruel and is not yet over. As many safeguards as we implemented, no one is immune to this terrible virus."
Duke, with its 13-11 record and only one win over a ranked opponent, is a long shot to earn an at-large bid unless there's a slew of withdrawals ahead of the Selection Sunday bracket announcement.
The Blue Devils are more likely to find themselves as a COVID-19 replacement option, which means they'd be on hold until the Tuesday deadline for teams to opt out of March Madness. At 6 p.m. ET that day, the bracket will be finalized.
Duke would be a dangerous opponent on short notice. Despite its up and down season, it sits No. 34 in the KenPom rankings on the strength of the nation's 15th-rated offense.
The 2021 NCAA tournament will be held in Indiana to limit travel during the pandemic, creating a bubble-like environment for the event.
Duke Has Positive COVID-19 Test, Won't Play in ACC Tournament vs. FSU
Mar 11, 2021
Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski watches the action during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Louisville in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Wednesday, March 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
The ACC announced the Duke Blue Devils will drop out of the ACC men's basketball tournament and Thursday's quarterfinal game against Florida State has been canceled, per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.
Duke released the following statement:
SAD NEWS: We will not continue competing in the 2021 ACC Tournament due to our school’s and conference’s health/safety protocols. The determination was made following the positive COVID-19 test for a member of our program’s Tier 1 personnel after Wednesday’s game.
Jeff Goodmanof Stadium first reported Duke received a positive COVID-19 test.
Florida State will advance to the semifinals to face the winner of Virginia Tech and North Carolina.
Duke entered the tournament as the No. 10 seed and advanced through the first two rounds with wins over Boston College and Louisville.
According to Dana O'Neil of The Athletic, the ACC is confident this news won't affect other teams.
The 13-11 Blue Devilslikely needed to win the tournament or at least make a deep run to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament. Only one of 113 projections onBracket Matrixhad Duke making the field as of Wednesday.
The last time the NCAA tournament took place without the Blue Devils was 1994-95, when the team finished 13-18.
Duke was forced to adjust its early-season schedule as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, canceling several nonconference games in December after its season opener against Gardner-Webb was postponed because of positive tests.
There has recently been a spike in cases on Duke's campus with more than 100 new cases since Friday, perKate Murphyof theNews and Observer.
The 2020 ACC tournament was canceled because of the pandemic, with Florida State awarded the championship as the No. 1 seed. The NCAA tournament was later canceled as well.
NIT 2021: Dates, Format, Schedule for Men and Women's Tournaments
Mar 8, 2021
Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski speaks with Duke forward Matthew Hurt (21) and other players during a break in the action in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina State in Durham, N.C., Monday, March 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
The men's and women's National Invitation Tournaments will take place this postseason, but both will see significant changes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The annual tournaments feature teams that didn't make their NCAA counterparts trying to end their seasons on a high note despite being out of national title contention.
Squads will still get this opportunity in 2021, but both brackets will see reduced fields, with games taking place in neutral sites rather than on campus like in past years.
Here is what you need to know about the upcoming tournaments.
Madison Square Garden in New York City has been the home of the men's NIT for decades, hosting the semifinals and final as a reward for the teams that made it out of their brackets. The new location in Texas will be among the many changes we will see this year.
Just like the NCAA men's basketball tournament being held entirely in Indiana, the NIT will be held entirely in Frisco and Denton, with the title game played at Comerica Center.
There should still be plenty of excitement for the NIT considering the teams that might be involved.
A bizarre 2020-21 season means we could see several blue bloods miss March Madness, including Duke, Kentucky and possibly North Carolina and Michigan State. Other perennial men's NCAA tournament squads like Syracuse, Indiana and Memphis could also be on the outside looking in this year.
Kentucky won't likely see any postseason with a 9-15 record, but the other schools could be major draws for the NIT.
The involvement with top programs plus future NBA talent could ensure this is a high-profile event even with the changes.
Meanwhile, one extra wrinkle is the NCAA designating four alternates in the case one team cannot compete because of COVID-19-related restrictions. This could shake up the NIT field or at least create some distractions for those still with March Madness dreams.
Women's NIT
Teams: 32
Selection Date: March 15
Round 1: March 19
Round 2: March 20
Round 3: March 22
Semifinals: March 27
Final: March 29
Regional Sites: Charlotte, North Carolina, Fort Worth, Texas, Memphis, Tennessee, Rockford, Illinois.
The tournament is effectively broken down into four separate events, crowning a champion in each to go with multiple consolation games.
It clinches at least two games for all teams involved, while even a team that loses in the first round can end the year with two straight wins. The squads that win three in a row in the regional sites will compete for the tournament title a week later.
Considering the travel restrictions involved, it's a positive when you can provide more teams with extra games.
This event is usually dominated by bigger conference teams that missed out on the NCAA women's basketball tournament, including last year's winner, Arizona. South Dakota was the last mid-major to win in 2016.
However, the biggest storyline this season could be California Baptist.
The Lancers secured a spot in the NIT by finishing 20-0 in the regular season, although they aren't eligible for the women's NCAA tournament after only recently transitioning to Division I. Even without a national title, they can still show they are among the nation's best teams with a strong showing in the NIT.
Every team involved will have to be at its best to win five games in a row against quality competition.
10 Most Devastating Men's NCAA Tournament Losses
Mar 3, 2021
FILE - In this Dec. 19, 2015, file photo, Michigan State's Denzel Valentine brings the ball upcourt during an NCAA college basketball game against Northeastern in Boston. Valentine worked out for the Utah Jazz just under two weeks ago and that was the first of four scheduled workouts, along with the Bulls, Bucks and Magic. The Michigan State guard explained that his agent had identified the Jazz as a potential landing spot. He’s expected to go anywhere from late lottery to the late 20s. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson, File)
For every Cinderella, there is a team that tastes disappointment.
That's what makes the big upsets so dramatic, especially in the NCAA tournament, where meek mid-majors and fiery upstarts enter the field with nothing to lose and a pocket full of house money. This holds true in the later rounds as well, where blue bloods with an air of destiny meet face-to-face with hot-shooting spoilers.
College hoopheads are familiar with the short list of great March Madness upsets. But what about the other side of the coin? Probably less so. That's why we're here. Own your next debate with this list of the NCAA men's tournament's most devastating losses.
10. Weber State outguns North Carolina (1999)
Expectations were slightly lower in 1999 compared with 1998, when Antawn Jamison and Vince Carter led the Tar Heels to the Final Four. But the cupboard was far from empty in Chapel Hill.
Even without Carter and Jamison the team held an air of celebrity, with future NBA player Brendan Haywood and a steady junior floor leader in Ed Cota. (Interestingly, this team also had a future NFL player on its roster in Ronald Curry.)
Fans and pundits widely expected heavily favored No. 3-seeded North Carolina to make a deep run, not to mention cruise to a first-round victory over No. 14 Weber State. But it was not to be.
No one had ever heard of Harold Arceneaux, and few have heard from him since. But in this game, he seemingly couldn't miss, draining 14 of 26 shots from the field en route to a 36-point performance and a 76-74 Weber State victory.
The following year, UNC was back in the Final Four, making 1999 a perpetual what-if.
9. The Adam Morrison Game (2006)
If you were watching live, it's hard to forget the image of Gonzaga star and Player of the Year candidate Adam Morrison crying into his feathery mustache as UCLA ran away with the glory.
The Bruins were seeded higher than the Zags, with the former clocking in at No. 2 and the latter at No. 3. Still, Morrison was a seemingly unstoppable scorer who could finally get that era's original mid-major Cinderella over the hump.
Behind Morrison's 24 points, the Bulldogs looked poised to move to the Elite Eight. In fact, they were leading by nine with roughly three minutes left. But Gonzaga appeared to take its foot off the proverbial gas, allowing UCLA to score the final 11 points to eke out a victory in a game Gonzaga fully controlled—right up until the waning seconds.
Morrison's emotional outpouring, which began before the game was even over, stands as an indelible example of tournament anguish.
8. Gritty West Virginia Stares Down Loaded Kentucky (2010)
The Kentucky Wildcats were beyond loaded, with 2010 No. 1 pick John Wall and big-time future pros like DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe in the fold. What could their weakness possibly be?
Bob Huggins and the Mountaineers sniffed it out: It was behind the arc, where the Wildcats shot just 33.1 percent on the season. West Virginia has been a tough-minded defensive team ever since Huggins took over as head coach in 2007-08. This year was no different behind tournament darling Da'Sean Butler.
WVU held UK to 4-of-32 shooting from deep. For all you English majors out there, that's 12.5 percent. It spelled the downfall of arguably the most talent-rich Kentucky team in recent memory. And that's saying something.
7. Michigan State Stunned in Opening Round (2016)
Michigan State wasn't the flashiest team during the 2015-16 campaign, but the always-battle-ready Spartans were seen as a lock for the tournament's second weekend.
But then came the intrepid Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee, which pulled off the 90-81 shocker to become only the eighth No. 15 seed to upset a No. 2 in the tournament.
That year, much of coach Tom Izzo's roster was comprised of seasoned seniors—just the way he likes it. Sparty entered the tourney on the two-line but were viewed as a trendy title pick thanks to a late-season streak in which they won nine straight and 13 of 14, not to mention a Big Ten championship.
The Blue Raiders jumped out to a 15-2 advantage, and MSU never seemed to regain its footing. When it came to nip-and-tuck, Michigan State had several significant miscues.
Star guard Denzel Valentine committed a key turnover in the game's final minutes with his team trailing 79-76—one of his six giveaways on the day. Missed shots and defensive lapses were frequent. This was a self-inflicted wound that unfolded over the course of the game, and it led to one of the biggest shockers in tournament history.
6. Maryland Coughs It Up vs. Duke (2001)
Playing in its first Final Four game in school history, the Maryland Terrapins were a No. 3 seed entering the game, while Duke was once again atop its bracket. So why is this 95-84 loss such a bad defeat?
With about seven minutes left in the first half, the Terps led the Blue Devils by 22 points and appeared to be poised to punch their ticket for the last game of the season.
It was not to be. Duke outscored Maryland 57-35 in the second half for the biggest comeback in Final Four history to advance to the national title game. The Blue Devils won that one too.
5. UCLA (Finally) Loses (1974)
Earlier in the 1973-74 season, UCLA's 88-game winning streak ended at the hands of Notre Dame, making that Irish team a factoid in sports trivia for the rest of recorded time.
NC State's accomplishment that season is not as well-known, even though it was even gaudier: The Wolfpack halted the Bruins' national title streak at seven with an 80-77 victory in the Final Four.
The immortal Bill Walton dropped 29 on the Wolfpack, but that accounted for nearly 38 percent of the team's points. On the other side, the perpetually unsung David "Skywalker" Thompson contributed 28 points and 10 rebounds to NC State, which went on to win the national title against Marquette.
4. The Chris Webber Timeout (1993)
This example is so gut-wrenching that it almost feels wrong call it out. But no list of devastating March Madness losses is complete without North Carolina’s 77-71 national championship victory over Michigan's talented but star-crossed Fab Five.
Webber went on to become a five-time NBA All-Star, but the phantom timeout still haunts his legacy.
Who can forget the image of Webber dribbling up the sideline and all the way to the corner, where he was promptly double-teamed. With 11 seconds on the clock and Michigan trailing 73-71, Webber called timeout, but the team no longer had any. That's a technical foul. Donald Williams sank both free throws to make it a two-possession game, and that was all she wrote.
3. Villanova Shoots the Lights Out (1985)
Nearly 79 percent.
That's the Villanova shooting percentage from this 66-64 shocker against the dominant Georgetown Hoyas. It was Patrick Ewing's senior season, back when top stars played four years and dominant big men were seen as unstoppable forces.
The No. 1 Hoyas were an eight-point favorite to handle the eighth-seeded Wildcats. With Ed Pinckney—Villanova's tallest player to see meaningful time—just 6'9" to Ewing's 7'0", the proceeding felt like a glorified senior day for Ewing as a coronation as the best college basketball player in history.
And then came the Wildcats' 78.6 percent shooting from the field. Dwayne McClain and Pinckney each shot 5-of-7. Harold Jensen went 5-of-5 off the bench. It was a crushing loss for Georgetown. And Ewing, fairly or not, earned a reputation as a star who couldn't win the big one.
2. UConn Shocks Duke (1999)
The Blue Devils were a 9.5-point favorite to complete their season of destiny and take their rightful place atop college basketball.
No one was arguing against it; it was just a matter of waiting for the inevitable.
After all, Elton Brand (16.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 career blocks per game) was unstoppable. Here's an even more telling stat: in the 1998-99 season, Brand had a remarkable 10 win shares on the season. By comparison, the 2020-21 leader in that category, Luka Garza—who appears to be a lock for National Player of the Year—sits at 5.6, and Brand's mark is still in the top 10 for a single season.
Duke also had Shane Battier, a Greek god of drawing charges. Corey Maggette was a freshman phenom, and Trajan Langdon was a dead-eyed shooter back when shooting was still a specialist's game. Brand and those three combined for 47 seasons in the NBA.
Now, UConn was no slouch as a No. 1 seed with future pros Richard Hamilton and Jake Voskuhl on the roster. But as the odds indicate, no one expected them to compete with the Blue Devils.
Still, at the end, the Huskies were wearing the net like jewelry after a 77-74 victory. Hamilton led all scorers with 27 points, while the Huskies defense held the Devils to 41.1 percent shooting from the field and out-rebounded Duke 38-27. No Duke player besides Brand managed more than four boards.
Duke haters around the world rejoiced, but March 29, 1999, was a dark day in Durham.
1. UMBC Fells Virginia (2018)
How could the top spot belong to any other team?
The UMBC Retrievers began their first-round game on fire and stayed that way. As monstrous 20.5-point underdogs, it was clear they decided they had nothing to lose and to let it fly.
And let it fly they did, converting 12 of 24 three-point attempts. Virginia shot a lot of threes as well, but their numbers—4-of-22 for a dismal 18.2 percent—were underwhelming.
In the end, UMBC had pulled off the second-biggest point-spread upset since the NCAA tournament field expanded in 1985 and became the first 16th seed in men's tourney history to knock off a No. 1-seeded team.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers team—nay, the program—appeared to be in tatters. After all, Virginia was pegged as a legitimate title favorite, typically clocking in below Villanova, who did go on to cut down the nets.
Ultimately, Virginia rose from the ashes and captured a national title the following season, but the moment of defeat in 2018 was about as bleak as it gets.
