who won duke

Duke's Latest Victory: Beating Siena in NCAA First Round Duke University, the No. 1 overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, just pulled off a nail-biting win over Siena. On Thursday, March 19, 2026—the same day as this query—the Blue Devils rallied from a 13-point deficit to defeat the 16th-seeded Siena Saints 71-65 in Greenville, S.C. This survival story keeps their March Madness dreams alive, advancing them to face TCU next.

Game Highlights

Duke faced an early scare as Siena's Gavin Doty dropped 21 points, including a 3-pointer for a 61-56 lead with under 8 minutes left. The Saints went cold, missing eight straight shots over nearly 7 minutes, allowing Duke to unleash an 11-0 run. Isaiah Evans grabbed the lead with a driving score at 63-61, and free throws from Evans and Boozer sealed it in the final seconds.

• Key Stats : Duke overcame Siena's hot first-half shooting (they shot just 23.5% after halftime).

• Siena's Run : Metro Atlantic champ Siena finished 23-12, but couldn't sustain momentum.

• Duke's Record : Now eyeing deeper tournament run after clinching ACC regular-season share (77-51 over Virginia) and tournament wins over Clemson and others.

Trending Buzz and Context

Fans are buzzing online—"DUKE WINS 71-65!!! Whew. Grateful for the win"—after a tense comeback that had hearts racing. Duke entered as the nation's top bracket pick (25.15% of fans favoring them for the title), down slightly from last year's Cooper Flagg hype but still dominant. As of March 19, 2026, they're the team to beat, fresh off ACC dominance despite past close calls like fending off UNC.

This win fits Duke's powerhouse narrative: 48th NCAA appearance, No. 1 ranking, and a history of bracket favorites. Siena pushed them hard, but the Blue Devils' resilience shone—like a classic underdog thriller turned favorite's redemption.

TL;DR : Duke beat Siena 71-65 today in the NCAA first round, rallying late to advance—huge sigh of relief for Blue Devil fans.

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