Second-Half Surge Seals Victory Amidst Physical Play
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Duke, holding the distinction of the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament, secured passage to the Sweet Sixteen by overcoming a testy TCU squad, ultimately prevailing 81-58. The decisive push for the Blue Devils materialized in the second half, turning a closely contested affair into a comfortable margin of victory. The critical turning point appeared to be an 11-0 run in the second half, contributing to a larger 26-6 surge that spanned nearly nine minutes of game time. During this stretch, TCU struggled offensively, missing 15 of 17 shots after a layup by Jayden Pierre had leveled the score at 44-44 with just under fourteen minutes remaining.
The contest was marked by a series of physical encounters and officiating reviews. Early in the game, Cameron Boozer’s drive resulted in David Punch of TCU sustaining a bloody nose from an elbow, an incident that was reviewed and resulted in a flagrant foul call. Later, Tanner Toolson was assessed a flagrant-1 foul following a review of his attempt to block Boozer’s shot. The game also saw a technical foul on Dixon and a potential goaltending non-call involving Maliq Brown’s block on Toolson. At one point, Ngongba and Edmonds became tangled, leading to a double-flagrant foul.
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Despite the robust nature of the game, Duke’s response to these adversities appeared to galvanize their performance, particularly after halftime. Star freshman Cameron Boozer, who had a subdued first half with only two points and one missed shot, found his rhythm in the second period. He contributed significantly to Duke’s offensive resurgence, scoring three times during their pivotal second-half run. This improved play was facilitated by passes from fellow big man Patrick Ngongba II, who was back in the lineup. Micah Robinson led TCU in scoring with 18 points.
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Duke’s overall record now stands at 34-2, while TCU, the ninth seed, finishes their tournament run with a 23-12 record. The Horned Frogs had advanced by defeating eighth-seeded Ohio State on a last-second basket.
