March Madness is a time of year that basketball fans eagerly anticipate, as the best college teams in the country battle it out for supremacy on the court. One of the most highly anticipated matchups in recent memory was between perennial powerhouses Uconn and Duke.
Both teams had storied histories and passionate fan bases, making this game a must-watch event. The tension was palpable as the two teams took to the court, each determined to emerge victorious.
The Blue Devils are on to the Elite Eight, and March Madness brings everything to the big stage, including some of the quirky, punny and sometimes surprising NIL deals that athletes have. Here, the Blue Zone will be ranking some of the worst, best and punniest NIL deals.
Ultimately, it was the Huskies who will continue dancing, barely fighting off a late comeback attempt to escape with a 53-45 win in a defensive battle that will give UConn the opportunity to take on No. 1-seed Southern California in the Elite Eight.
The resolve of Duke visibly began to wane as the third quarter went on and the first-half deficit did not shrink. Senior center Kennedy Brown picked up her third foul with more than four minutes left in the period, and the offense once again looked lost. The sets were slow and it seemed like the only shots were contested jumpers with the shot clock winding down. Even as UConn center Aaliyah Edwards picked up her fourth foul just over halfway through the period and checked out, Paige Bueckers continued to dominate. She went 4-for-5 from the field in the third quarter, scoring seemingly at will from anywhere past halfcourt.
Like in its second-round win over Syracuse, UConn kept its rotation tight. Geno Auriemma didn't pull a single starter until Edwards picked up that fourth foul, even when Bueckers got her second early in the second quarter and Edwards got her third later in the frame. Ice Brady was the only bench player to see any minutes.
The Huskies will now advance to the Elite Eight, where All-American JuJu Watkins and top seed USC are awaiting. UConn will be playing for a return to the Final Four after coming up short last season, while the Trojans will be looking for their first trip to the final weekend since 1986.
The excitement and drama of March Madness were on full display during this epic showdown between two college basketball giants. It was a game that will be remembered for years to come by fans of both teams.
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