Kyle Filipowski has 16 points and nine rebounds, and the fourth-seeded Blue Devils beat the top-seeded Cougars, 54-51, as Houston plays the final 26 minutes without All-America point guard Jamal Shead (ankle).
Kyle Filipowski had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Duke advanced to the Elite Eight with a 54-51 victory over top-seeded Houston, which played the final 26 minutes on Friday night without All-America point guard Jamal Shead after he turned his right ankle.
Even with Shead on the bench, the fourth-seeded Blue Devils (27-8) had to overcome a physical defense that has been one of the best in the country all season. They won despite a season low in points, and advanced to the South Region final in Dallas against an Atlantic Coast Conference rival, No. 11 seed North Carolina State, for a spot in the Final Four.
“We know we’ve got a great team,” Filipowski said. “We’ve been through so much this year … we just stuck together.”
The Wolfpack, the only double-digit seed left in this NCAA Tournament, beat No. 2 seed Marquette 67-58, their eighth win in a row in a streak that included a 74-69 victory over the Blue Devils just two weeks ago in the ACC Tournament.
“It’s going to be crazy. A rematch of the ACC Tournament,” Duke guard Jeremy Roach said. “Obviously they’ve done a hell of a job. … They’re on a crazy run.”
Roach scored all of his 14 points in the second half for the Blue Devils, including a jumper in the lane with 1:15 left for a 54-48 lead.
LJ Cryer had 15 points for Houston and J’Wan Roberts had 13. Shead finished with two points on 1-of-5 shooting with three assists and two steals.
Shead departed with 6:38 left in the first half after his right foot turned awkwardly on a drive while missing a contested layup. By then, he had been on the floor under the basket for about 15 seconds while play continued at the other end until Houston got the ball after a Duke miss.
