Caleb Love, left, faces off against Duke, a team he has a storied history with, including a memorable Final Four win with North Carolina. (Photo by Christopher Hook/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PHOENIX – In an anticipated reunion, the Arizona Wildcats look to keep their March Madness dreams alive as they face off against the Duke Blue Devils for the second time this season when the teams meet Thursday in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men’s Tournament.
While longtime Duke fans may recall the 2001 National Championship victory over Arizona — or the Sweet 16 loss from 14 years ago — Wildcats fans have a much fresher memory: a home-court loss to the Blue Devils just a few months ago.
“I imagine Thursday night it will be two very different teams then that played earlier in the season,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said before his No. 4-seeded team took on top-seeded Duke in the East Regional semifinals in Newark, New Jersey. “I feel we have found our identity since then, and definitely have more certainty in each other.”
In the era of NIL and the transfer portal, college basketball has undergone a transformation. While Cinderella runs and shocking bracket busters haven’t disappeared entirely with the likes of Colorado State and McNeese advancing past the first round, the new landscape has largely reinforced the survival of the fittest. Programs with deep rosters, experienced transfers and top-tier recruits are the ones that have thrived this March.
As the tournament has unfolded this year, the best of the best have risen to the occasion — something both Duke and Arizona know well.
For Duke coach Jon Scheyer, NIL and modern roster construction have certainly shifted the game, but Duke’s foundation remains unchanged.
“Our program was built on players teaching players,” Scheyer said. “This summer, we went back to the basics — how to build this team from the ground up, teach the standards and hold them accountable to the standard.”
Thursday’s matchup will feature plenty of star power, from Duke’s projected No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg to a slew of future lottery selections. But for Arizona — and non-Duke supporters — the spotlight will once again shine on Caleb Love, a player who has made a career out of breaking the hearts of Blue Devil fans.
A transfer from North Carolina, Love will face Duke for the 10th time in his career. His most famous moment? A clutch three-point dagger in the 2022 Men’s Final Four that sent Duke packing and North Carolina to the national championship game, cementing his status as a Chapel Hill legend — and a Durham villain.
“I’m looking towards one game, and that’s Duke,” Love said. “My mind is focused on them.”
In the Round of 32, Arizona had to battle back from an early 19-4 deficit against Oregon last Sunday in a reinvented Pac-12 rivalry matchup. Behind a stellar performance from Love, the Wildcats stormed back to take a four-point halftime lead and never looked back, securing their third Sweet 16 appearance in four years.
Lloyd’s squad may be more confident now than it was in November, but Duke remains a force. Posting the No. 1 offense and No. 4 defense in the country this season, the Blue Devils showed just how explosive they can be in their second-round matchup against Baylor. A close game quickly turned into a rout, with Duke unleashing a dominant 24-6 run before halftime en route to an 89-66 victory.
For Duke, while much of the national attention will be on Flagg, one of the key players to watch will be junior Tyrese Proctor. An Australian native, Proctor was a freshman on the sidelines when Love hit that infamous dagger in the Final Four.
Since Scheyer and Proctor have joined Duke, Love has struggled against Duke, shooting just 14-for-50 from the field and a mere 15% from 3-point territory.
“It’s always a high-level matchup,” Proctor said of Love. “It’s always a great game, and that’s really it.”
Arizona will throw multiple defensive looks at Proctor, but slowing down one of the tournament’s hottest shooters will require a team effort. Proctor has been lights-out from beyond the arc, hitting a blistering 15 of 17 from beyond the arc – the most by a Blue Devil in the first two games of the tournament.
“We got to be more physical than them and hit on all cylinders on offense,” Love said. “With this team, you can’t make too many mistakes, because they’ll make you pay.”
Duke has adapted tremendously throughout the season, posting a historic run in conference play and winning 19 of their 20 ACC games, capping it off with an ACC championship. That ability to evolve has been a hallmark of Scheyer’s squad, blending veteran experience with elite young talent to form one of the most well-rounded teams in the country.
From the leadership of Sion James and Proctor in the backcourt to the two-way dominance of Flagg and 3-point ability of just about everyone on the team, the Blue Devils have built a roster that thrives under pressure.
Flagg has lived up to the hype on both ends but particularly by showcasing his defensive presence and ability to impact the game beyond the box score.
“I think just being able to get energy from players blocking shots, getting steals and those types of plays lead to kind of easier offense,” Flagg said. “So I think that’s kind of where it starts from.”
Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown has added another key piece to Duke’s defensive scheme. His ability to guard positions 1-5 has given the Blue Devils added flexibility, allowing them to switch seamlessly on defense. However, Brown’s availability for the Sweet 16 remains uncertain.
The junior forward has been dealing with a shoulder injury and has missed Duke’s first two tournament games. The team said his status for Thursday was a game-time decision. “It’s day-to-day with Maliq, and there’s a chance he could be available tomorrow night,” Scheyer said Wednesday.
If Brown is cleared to play, his presence could provide a significant boost for Duke’s defense, particularly against an Arizona team that thrives in transition. His ability to switch onto guards would give the Blue Devils another weapon in their effort to contain Love and company.
“We know we play a really good Arizona team. A lot of respect for Tommy and his program. I think he’s one of the best coaches,” Scheyer added. “For our group, we’re just ready to go.”