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No. 1 Duke survived a historic scare in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, overcoming an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat 16-seeded Siena 71–65 in Greenville. The Blue Devils trailed 43–32 at the break—the largest halftime deficit ever faced by a No. 1 seed against a 16-seed—before a poised second-half surge spared them from becoming the third top seed to fall in the opening round.
Presumptive National Player of the Year Cameron Boozer anchored the comeback with a 22-point performance, while his twin brother Cayden added 19 to keep the offense afloat during a cold shooting start. The turnaround, however, was sparked on the defensive end. After allowing the Saints to shoot a blistering 55% in the first period, Jon Scheyer’s squad clamped down, holding Siena to just 22 points in the final 20 minutes.
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The defensive pivot was headlined by Dame Sarr, who drew the assignment of neutralizing Siena star Gavin Doty. With Sarr limiting Doty’s clean looks and the Boozer brothers controlling the glass, Duke erased the double-digit margin with a 12–0 run in second-chance points. While the Blue Devils found themselves in a deeper hole than anyone expected, their star power and second-half adjustments were enough to secure a date with TCU in the Round of 32.
How Duke held off potential Siena upset
Duke entered the second half against No. 16 Siena down 11 points, which was the most a No. 1 seed has ever trailed at halftime in the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils were cold from the field in the first half while they gave up 43 points, with Gavin Doty leading the way with 16.
Though, come the second half, Duke — who is third in the country averaging 63 points allowed per game — turned it on defensively. It was headlined by Dame Sarr being the primary guard on Doty, who had five points in the second frame; Siena was outscored 39-22 in the second half.
— Zero Gravity (@zgsportsmedia) March 19, 2026Overall, the Saints went 8-for-34 in the final 20 minutes, allowing Duke to claw back. On the offensive end, the Boozers put up a combined 41 of the 71 points the Blue Devils scored.
THE BOOZER BROS PUT ON A SHOW 😤
Duke advances behind superstar performances from Cameron & Cayden Boozer 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/JWWUtzQaJV
HISTORY OF UPSETS BY SEED:
16 vs. 1 | 15 vs. 2 | 14 vs. 3 | 13 vs. 4 | 12 vs. 5
Cameron Boozer stats
- Points: 22
- Rebounds: 13
- Assists: 3
- Shots/Attempts: 4/11
- Three Point Shots/Attempts: 1/5
- Free throws: 13/14
The Sporting News' Player of the Year led the way in Duke's comeback, putting up another double-double as the Blue Devils advanced to the second round.
While it was not his best game from the field, Boozer did what he does best, commanding the inside; it led to him shooting 14 free throws in the contest. He finished the game with a +12 when on the court, which was tied for the most with his brother Cayden.
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Cayden Boozer stats
- Points: 19
- Rebounds: 2
- Assists: 5
- Shots/Attempts: 9/16
- Three Point Shots/Attempts: 2/8
- Free throws: 1/4
After Caleb Foster went down in the regular season against North Carolina, Boozer was catapulted into the starting point guard spot. He played 38:36 today, scoring in double digits for the third straight game.
Just like his brother, Cayden came to Durham as a five-star prospect, but his development was not going to be the same. Though, since taking over as the starting guard, Duke has gone 4-0, including winning the ACC Tournament and moving on to the second round.
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