The 2026 NCAA Tournament First Round matchup between the No. 1 overall seed Duke Blue Devils and the 16th-seeded Siena Saints was nearly the site of one of the most significant upsets in college basketball history. Played in Greenville, South Carolina, the game saw Siena push the top-ranked team in the country to the absolute brink before Duke managed to escape with a 71-65 victory.
The game's first half was a historic display of underdog dominance. Siena entered the break with a 43-32 lead, which represented the largest halftime advantage a 16-seed has ever held over a No. 1 seed in the history of the tournament. Even more remarkable was Siena's lineup strategy; due to a roster depleted by injuries and academic issues to just seven scholarship players, the Saints' starting five played all 20 minutes of the first half. Led by sophomore guard Gavin Doty, who finished the game with 21 points, Siena shot an impressive 55% from the field in the opening stanza.
Duke appeared mentally unfocused early on, with players later admitting they expected a "cakewalk". Missing two key injured starters, Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba II, the Blue Devils struggled against Siena's paint-protecting defense and high-energy offensive execution. Siena's lead grew to as much as 13 points early in the second half, handing Duke its largest deficit of the entire season.
The momentum began to shift when Duke's coaching staff implemented a three-quarter court defensive press to disrupt Siena's rhythm. The Saints, who were physically wearing down due to their lack of substitutions, eventually suffered a nearly seven-minute scoring drought. During this stretch, Duke executed a furious 11-0 run to reclaim the lead. The Blue Devils' comeback was anchored by Cameron Boozer, the National Player of the Year, who tallied 22 points and 13 rebounds. His twin brother, Cayden Boozer, also played a crucial role, providing 19 points and five assists without committing a single turnover. Isaiah Evans provided additional support with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Despite their fatigue, Siena's starters played almost the entire game—all five players logged 40 minutes, save for a single defensive substitution in the final 10.8 seconds. Francis Folefac contributed 18 points and seven rebounds, while Justice Shoats managed 8 points and 7 assists despite playing through heavy defensive pressure.
While Duke avoided becoming just the third No. 1 seed to lose to a 16-seed, the game served as a major warning. Duke head coach Jon Scheyer admitted that he was outcoached and that the Saints were far more ready to play than his own squad. Ultimately, Duke’s depth and a 30-13 second-half rebounding advantage allowed them to preserve their season and advance to face TCU in the Round of 32. Siena left the court to a standing ovation, having proven they could compete with the elite of college basketball despite being severely undermanned.


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