March Madness is here!
It didn’t take long for the upsets to start as No. 11 Duquesne took down No. 6 BYU, 71-67, Thursday afternoon at the CHI Health Center Arena in Omaha, Neb. in what was just the second game of the NCAA tournament. The win was also the first time since 1969 that the Dukes won an NCAA Tournament game.
Coming in, BYU, which finished 5th in the Big 12 in its first year, entered Thursday’s game as nearly a 10-point favorite.
But a cold shooting performance combined with a team that lives and dies by the three, was all that was needed for Duquesne to upset the Cougars. Down by as much as 14 in the second half, BYU was able to make it a game and mounted an epic comeback that fell just short. The Cougars ended up tying the game with just under two minutes to play, but that’s as close as they would get.
THE DUKES UPSET BYU‼️
Duquesne advances to the Round of 32 for the first time since 1969 👏 pic.twitter.com/fDgdSFI1e3
— ESPN (@espn) March 21, 2024
For the game, the Cougars shot just 38.6% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc.
BYU’s Jaxson Robinson led all scorers with 25 points, while Spencer Johnson, Fousseyni
Traore and Dallin Hall each had 11 points apiece. For Duquesne, Dae Dae Grant led the team with 19 points, Jakub Necas added 12 and Jimmy Clark III had 11 in the win for the Dukes.
The win was extra special for the Dukes as they not only won a tournament game since 1969, but they also kept their season alive under head coach Keith Dambrot who is retiring after the season.
“They just don’t want me to retire I guess,” said Dambrot after the game. “I’m trying to get to the promised land and they’re making me keep coaching. Our guys played exactly what they had to do in order to win the game.”
Here’s all the reactions to Duquesne’s upset over BYU.
When you only make the tournament every 47 years, you better make it count. Duquesne is making it count so far.
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) March 21, 2024
Two final scores, two victories by lower seeds today. March is doing its thing.
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) March 21, 2024
YEAAAAHHHH @DruOnDemand LFG!!!! Go Dukes @DuqMBB
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 21, 2024
It would have been nice if Danny Ainge gifted #BYU with his signature shoes. #MarchMadness #NCAATournament #GoCougs #GoDukes https://t.co/HzBJEMUl49
— Justin Giles (@JustinGiles_) March 21, 2024
LeBron blessed Duquesne and they showed out https://t.co/bniNPoPXf8
— Kung Fu Kevy (@DJ_Kevy_Kev) March 21, 2024
apparently lebron gave the refs some shoes too
— jayhawk lasso (@jaylassoku) March 21, 2024
Making opponents happy in the NCAA Tournament is a long-standing BYU tradition.
— Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) March 21, 2024
I’m calling in sick (of BYU sucking in March Madness) tomorrow.
— Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) March 21, 2024
BYU can’t play on Sundays in the NCAA Tournament. Or Saturdays.
— Brian Bennett (@GBrianBennett) March 21, 2024
OVER 16 MILLION BRACKETS BUSTED 😳 pic.twitter.com/Pmj9F42qao
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 21, 2024
Madness @BYUMBB
— Kung Fu Kevy (@DJ_Kevy_Kev) March 21, 2024
All those years of not pulling the upset make getting upset that much worse.
— Greg Welch (@ArtDirectorBYU) March 21, 2024
As fun as this season was, we went 1-3 down the stretch blowing a big lead to Iowa State, getting mauled from the tip against Texas Tech, and now losing to Duquesne in the first round.
Fun season that ended with 3 brutal losses.
— Fifth Quarter BYU (@byu_fq) March 21, 2024
BYU ranked second nationally in 3-point attempt rate entering today. Duquesne was the best 3-point defense in the Atlantic 10.
Something had to give: BYU went 8-for-24 from 3. They made fewer than 8 3s just four times all season.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) March 21, 2024
While I agree, the choke job at the BIG12 tournament and then this is beyond frustrating
— Skyler Beltran (@SkylerBeltran) March 21, 2024
This game was painful. Robinson was amazing, but the rest was really hard to watch.
That said, what an incredible season for this team. Once the hurt of today subsides, we’ll be able to appreciate what a success it was.
— Ys Guide (@YsGuide) March 21, 2024
there's only one man that can save byu hoops pic.twitter.com/H557UN6V7Y
— Portland Pickles (@picklesbaseball) March 21, 2024
Thank you for an awesome season in which you massively exceeded expectations and provided many moments of thrills and entertainment. I'm proud of this team and its accomplishments.
— The Palangi Kalani 🙏 (@TimoteoMitchell) March 21, 2024
Thank you for admitting your part in this…
— Jay Riemanschneider's Butcher (@happycamper7890) March 21, 2024
How in the heck did #BYU end up with more fouls than Duq, when Duq played bully ball the whole game. And I’m still scratching my head over the Waterman T call, when the Duq player was the only aggressor.
— BRS (@CougarYankee) March 21, 2024
Although biased of course I felt like the fouls were ticky tacky on one side of the floor and no blood no foul on the other side. I don’t mind letting them play but call it the same both ways…
— Justin Huff (@justinrhuff) March 21, 2024
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