NEWARK, N.J. (WNCN) — The men’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 features a meeting between Duke and a team they defeated earlier in the season, as well as a guard who is a familiar foe.
The No. 1 Blue Devils (33-3) and No. 4 Arizona Wildcats (24-12) are set to battle Thursday night in an East Region game in Newark, NJ. Tipoff at the Prudential Center is approximately scheduled for 9:39 p.m. but could be moved back due to the preceding game.
Duke and Arizona clashed in the desert on Nov. 22, with the Blue Devils winning 69-55 in what was only Duke’s fifth game of the season. Cooper Flagg scored 24 points and pulled down seven rebounds in the win, while Jaden Bradley led the Wildcats with 18 points. Former UNC guard Caleb Love, who transferred to Tucson after the 2022-23 season, scored eight points and had four assists and four rebounds in that game.
To earn a spot in the Sweet 16, Duke defeated No. 9 Baylor 89-66 Sunday at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh. Tyrese Proctor led the Blue Devils’ offensive assault with 25 points.
Arizona’s path required a win over No. 5 Oregon at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The Wildcats edged out the Ducks 87-83, with Love scoring 29 points to lead all scorers.
The winner of Thursday night’s game moves on to the Elite 8 on Saturday. They’ll face No. 2 Alabama, who defeated No. 6 BYU 113-88 earlier in the first game of the night in Newark.
Duke Blue Devils vs. Arizona Wildcats
This event has ended. Find the latest Duke men’s basketball live scoreboard here.