Duke’s NCAA Tournament run has ended much earlier than anticipated.
The Blue Devils were shockingly upset by No. 7 seed South Carolina 88-81 in their second-round East Region matchup. With the win, the Gamecocks move on to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
Turnovers plagued Duke throughout the contest. The Blue Devils gave the ball away 18 times, which South Carolina took full advantage of. Duke also struggled from 3-point land, shooting a mediocre 37 percent from beyond the arc.
Sindarius Thornwell powered the Gamecocks on offense. The SEC Player of the Year posted a game-high 24 points to go along with six rebounds and five assists. Chris Silva recorded a double-double for South Carolina with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Duke struggled to get in a rhythm offensively. Luke Kennard only managed to score 11 points, while Jayson Tatum had an average 15-point night. Grayson Allen led the Blue Devils in points with 20.
The Blue Devils’ comeback attempt was made much more difficult due to the team’s foul trouble. Kennard, Tatum and Matt Jones all fouled out during the tail end of the game, thwarting any chance of gaining momentum.
South Carolina will take on No. 3 seed Baylor in its Sweet 16 matchup on Friday.
Thumbnail photo via Jeremy Brevard/USA TODAY Sports Images
