Cooper Flagg and the No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils entered the Final Four as one of the most hyped teams in recent college basketball memory. But that narrative quickly shifted after a stunning 70–67 loss to fellow No. 1 seed Houston. Duke blew a 14-point lead, and the defeat is now being labeled as one of the biggest collapses in tournament history.
Despite the meltdown, Duke had a chance to win in the final seconds. Down by one with under 15 seconds remaining, Flagg took the final shot—a turnaround jumper near the free throw line over Houston’s J’wan Roberts. The shot fell short, and Houston secured the rebound to seal the win.
What stood out was Houston’s bold defensive call. Instead of doubling Flagg, they left Roberts on an island. According to *The Athletic*, Roberts actually requested to guard Flagg one-on-one during the timeout. “I knew where the ball was going to,” Roberts said. “You’re not gonna stop him from shooting, but you can make it as difficult as you can.”
The strategy worked, and now Houston advances to face Florida in Monday’s championship game.
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