History repeated itself in heartbreaking fashion for Duke on Saturday night. In the 2025 Final Four, the Blue Devils squandered a 14-point second-half lead and lost to Houston, 70-67, echoing their infamous 2004 collapse against UConn.
Duke remained in control until the final stretch, still up seven with 1:26 left. But a stunning 11-1 surge by Houston in the last 74 seconds sealed their fate. The Blue Devils hit just one field goal over the final 10 minutes—and none in the last three—as another title dream slipped away in dramatic fashion.
Duke Blue Devils Relive 2004 Nightmare in 2025 Final Four Loss Against Cougars
In a hauntingly familiar scene, Duke suffered another crushing Final Four loss in San Antonio—21 years after letting a seven-point lead slip away to UConn in the 2004 national semifinal. This time, it was Houston who erased a late nine-point deficit to stun the Blue Devils, 70-67, and advance to Monday’s title game against Florida.
Duke led 64-55 with just 3:03 remaining, but the Cougars, behind their relentless defense, closed on a 15-3 run. Houston didn’t take the lead until Juwan Roberts sank two free throws with 19.6 seconds remaining, their first advantage since 6-5 early in the game.
Two more from LJ Cryer, who led all Cougars with 26 points, gave Houston a three-point cushion—their largest lead of the night.
In 2004, Duke led UConn 75-68 with 3:28 left in the National Semifinal in San Antonio and lost 79-78.
Tonight, Duke led Houston 64-55 with 3:03 left in the National Semifinal in San Antonio and lost 70-67. https://t.co/mVRTg7tYR5
— No Escalators (@NoEscalators) April 6, 2025
“No one ever loses at anything as long as you don’t quit,” said Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson. “If you quit, you’ve lost.”
Duke’s offense collapsed down the stretch. The Blue Devils managed just one field goal over the final 10 minutes and went scoreless from the floor in the final three. Cooper Flagg, who had a game-high 27 points on 8-of-19 shooting, missed a potential go-ahead jumper with eight seconds left. Tyrese Proctor’s last-second shot failed to draw iron.
Flagg, just hours removed from winning the Wooden Award, added seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and two steals, but Duke’s late-game execution unraveled. ESPN’s Gamecast gave the Blue Devils a 92.3% win probability with 42 seconds to play.
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Joseph Tugler’s timely dunk and clutch free throws from Roberts and Cryer fueled Houston’s comeback. Emanuel Sharp chipped in 16 points, and Houston’s top-ranked defense locked in when it mattered most, holding Duke to three free throws over the final minutes. Duke’s first Final Four under Jon Scheyer ended in heartbreak.
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