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Duke Survives Upset, Edges Siena 71-65 in NCAA Opener

3/20/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Duke narrowly escaped a major upset, defeating Siena 71-65 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Duke trailed by 11 points at halftime, the largest halftime deficit for a No. 1 seed against a No. 16 seed.
Siena's Gavin Doty led with 21 points.
Duke's Cameron Boozer scored 22 points and had 13 rebounds.
The Blue Devils will face No. 9 TCU in the next round on March 21.

History

Historical Context

In 1985, the University of Richmond made history by defeating No. 1 seed Syracuse, becoming the first No. 16 seed to win in the NCAA Tournament. This upset underscored the unpredictability of March Madness, a trend that continues today, as seen in Duke's recent narrow victory over Siena, reflecting the competitive parity that defines college basketball.

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Story summary

Duke narrowly escaped a major upset, defeating Siena 71-65 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Duke trailed by 11 points at halftime, the largest halftime deficit for a No. 1 seed against a No. 16 seed.
Siena's Gavin Doty led with 21 points.
Duke's Cameron Boozer scored 22 points and had 13 rebounds.
The Blue Devils will face No. 9 TCU in the next round on March 21.

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