There are 16 teams remaining on this year’s NCAA Tournament field, but one – Duke is peeking into the competition on a historic trajectory.
How much is it just historic?
Get this: Duke is the second team in the modern era (since the tournament expansion in 1985), leading the regular season in scoring margins, and runs wild with a point difference of over 65 points in the first two NCAA tournament rounds.
Only other teams to achieve that: Duke in 1999.
These Blue Devils finished 37-2 and finished as UConn national runner-ups. They are widely considered to be one of the best teams that have not won a national championship.
Tyrees Proctor may not be chosen for the lottery, but he blossomed perfectly for Duke in the insanity of March
Chip Patterson
These blue demons were improved to 33-3 on Sunday with the demolition of Baylor’s 89-66. This brought Duke’s average score margin to 33.5 points, setting a record for the National Championship team throughout the first two modern rounds.
However, as researchers at CBS Sports have delved into it, a large score margin doesn’t necessarily correlate with the championship.
In fact, Duke is the 19th team since expanding the bracket with a scoring margin of more than 60 throughout the first two rounds. Of the previous 18, only two of the 1993 North Carolina and 1996 Kentucky teams won the national championship.
The takeaway here is obvious. It’s difficult to win the title. But Duke dominates at a level where, if he can keep pace, he could plunge into historic success.
This makes the Blue Devils a big winner in the Sunday summary of the biggest winners of Round 2 and the losers of that day.
Winner: Maryland moves forward with a buzzer beater
Maryland freshman Derik Queen delivered the buzzer beater who won the first game of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Sunday, lifting No. 4 seed seed terrapin to a thrilling 72-71 victory at No. 12 seed Colorado. A queen runner ran across the net over Ethan Morton. The clock hits all zeros and sent the Terps on the second weekend of Big Dance for the first time since 2016. But did he travel? You are a judge. – David Cobb
Winner: Florida shows his temper in a comeback
No. 1 Seed Florida Gators nearly ran the magical run cut in March by back-to-back champion UConn on Sunday to win the National Championship among the hottest teams in college basketball and the second-choice team in the last few weeks.
There, the keywords: almost.
UCONN put Florida’s back on the wall in the battle after seeing six lead changes and the Husky’s lead in the final four minutes. However, the Gators smashed and spurred their run to the finish thanks to six makers in their final six shot attempts. After tracking after three innings, they responded with a 16-7 run and cleaned up before the final 10 seconds of rubbish capped with a 3-pointer stimulating Liam McNely’s buzzer.
It wasn’t the best game Florida played this month, but it was the most impressive thing I’ve seen the true face of adversity during a seven-game winning streak. It could go a long way in building this team’s confidence as this team will get hurt towards the second weekend. – Kyle Boone
Loser: UConn runs to finish
UConn’s bid to become the first three-peat national champion of college basketball since UCLA in 1971-73 was just shorter after the Husky pushed Florida to the brink. Huskies coach Dan Hurley was outraged off the floor, but then he was emotional as he looked back at the program’s 13-Straight NCAA Tournament victory’s amazing run ending.
“When you have such special people, players change your life,” said the tear-eyed Harley, recalling the impact his departure senior had on the program.
Everything an emotional Dan Harley said after UCONN’s NCAA Tournament Streak was defeated by Florida
David Cobb
Harley was equally emotional in her post-match chat with Tracy Wolfson. Love him or hate him, Harley is surprisingly authentic and his fire was on display again as his program suffered the loss of his first NCAA tournament since 2022.
Winner: Tyrees Proctor will start a fire when he wins Baylor
Duke scored 89-66 seed Baylor behind the big performances of Proctor and freshman Superstar Cooper Flag. Proctor’s hot shooting night stood out as the veteran guard shot an 8 of 9 from the 3-point line and finished with 25 points. Proctor struggled to find his shot in Duke’s Elite 8 eight losses to NC State last spring, and this kind of performance validates that the Blue Devils need Proctor at his best to reach the best form. – Cameron Salerno
Winner: Kentucky cruises to Final 16 with a sweet matchup
Kentucky’s first-year coach, Mark Pope, defeated BBN at the Sweet 16 with an 85-74 victory over Illinois on Sunday. This victory led them to face familiar enemies in the next round of their SEC rivals Tennessee tournament.
Kentucky won the regular season series vs. Vols 2-0 on a five-point road, earning an 11-point home victory. And while Britain is still a Jackson Robinson star, Pope and the Company found a more rotation than the ability led by Coby Blair, who scored 23 points alongside Otega Owe, Lamont Butler and Amari Williams on Sunday. – Boon
Loser: Florida’s post-match celebration hits too hard (literally)
No. 1 seed Florida punched its first ticket to Sweet 16 from Sunday 2017. The downsides of recent success: you may have forgotten how to celebrate responsibly.
The team has posted a celebration postgame in the locker room featuring your running the mill screams and screams. it hurts!
Martin should know better too. He was previously a key piece for Dustimai’s Florida Atlantic team, which won the Final Four in 2023. I don’t think I’ll suffer from a head wound during the run from my flashbacks.
But if you’re Florida, there are many reasons to jolly. Doing so after knocking out the back-to-back champion on UCONN and erasing the second half lead is the legendary one that will be etched into the permanent marker record book if the Gator escapes to Sunday’s title. – Boon
Loser: Title Big East bids end
This year’s National Champion is not officially from the Big East after UConn, the only remaining representative from the league, stepped down to Florida in the second round of 77-75. This is the first time the league has yet to have a second weekend member since the 2019 NCAA Tournament. – Boon
Winner: Michigan wins ugly
Though it wasn’t the most impressive performance of the season from Michigan, a 71-63 victory over New Mexico in the second round was enough to enter the second weekend. The Spartans struggled to shoot it – freshman Jace Richardson was one of the ten people from the field, one of whom appeared in clutches, but they used sales, dominated glass at both ends and won with their defense.
The Michigan victory sends the packing of the second Pitino for as many days as Richard Pitino and his Lobos join Rick Pitino and his St. John’s team among those who have disappeared from the field this weekend. – Boon
Loser: St. Mary’s hits another wall
Saint Mary’s now competed in eight consecutive NCAA tournaments without reaching Sweet 16 after falling to No. 2 Seed Alabama from 80-66. The Crimson Tide didn’t get too cool as they rode a strong offensive show in 2022, becoming the first team to reach 80 against Gaels since Gonzaga. St. Mary’s Drew drew in just a few digits in the second half, but did not consistently stop against the flushing flush. Six players reached Alabama’s double digits, overcoming a 11-6 deficit in sales.
Bama wins No. 6 seed BYU in the Sweet 16, which is a compelling battle between two offensive teams of the best offensive teams in college basketball. Meanwhile, the Gales returns to the drawings and tries to find a way to reach the second weekend of Big Dance for the first time since 2010.
Winner: Ole Miss has headed to First Sweet 16 since 2001
For the first time since 2001, Ole Miss heads to the Sweet 16 after slicing Iowa with an incredibly offensive performance. The rebels shot 58.2% hot 58.2% from the floor, making 11 of 19 attempts over the arc towards an astoundingly dominant victory over the Cyclone. Ole Miss built a lead of 26 in the second half before running a coast to the finish line. Sean Pedra led the Rebels with 20 points, while Malik Deer added 18. No team has posted a better shooting rate against Iowa this season. – Cobb
Loser: Oregon feels love
No. 5 seed Oregon jumped out for a 19-4 lead with No. 4 seeded Arizona, but the hot start was too good to be true. Arizona and star guard Caleblave needed some time to spin towards an 87-83 victory. Love scored 20 of 29 points in the second half, leading the Wildcats to the Sweet 16 for the third time under fourth-year coach Tommy Lloyd. This victory sets a big brand showdown between Arizona and No. 1 seed Duke.
You may remember: While playing for North Carolina in 2022, Love ended the career of Duke coach Mike Kurtzizewski with 28 points in the legendary final four games. If he plays the way he played against Oregon in the Sweet 16, he could potentially end Duke’s season again.
