Both Houston and Kentucky had similar comebacks to take down Duke en route to the national title game.
In one of the most stunning finishes of the NCAA Tournament, the Houston Cougars pulled off a comeback for the ages Saturday night in the Final Four, taking down the Duke Blue Devils 70-67 to punch their ticket to the national championship game.
Trailing by 14 points with under eight minutes to play, the Cougars stormed back in a fashion reminiscent of Kentucky’s iconic rally against Duke in the 1998 Elite Eight.
Back then, Kentucky clawed its way out of a 17-point deficit with just 9:30 remaining to defeat Duke 86-84 on the way to a national title. That game became legendary thanks to clutch performances from Jeff Sheppard (18 points), Wayne Turner (16), Scott Padgett (12), Allen Edwards (11), and Heshimu Evans (14 off the bench).
Fast-forward 27 years, and it was Houston’s turn to write a new chapter in tournament lore. With Duke seemingly in control, the Cougars ramped up their defensive intensity and started knocking down shots.
L.J. Cryer led the charge, exploding for 26 points while keeping his team afloat during the toughest stretches. Emanuel Sharp added 16 points, and J’wan Roberts was a force in the paint with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Houston’s comeback was fueled by timely buckets and relentless effort, similar to the grit Kentucky displayed in their own thriller decades earlier. The Cougars locked down defensively, forcing Duke into contested shots and capitalizing on every offensive opportunity down the stretch.
As the final horn sounded, Houston stood victorious, securing a spot in the national championship game against Florida. Just like the Wildcats in 1998, the Cougars proved that no lead is ever truly safe in March.
Now, with momentum and belief on their side, Houston will try to finish the story the same way Kentucky did—by cutting down the nets. But even if the Cougars come up short, this team will be remembered for a long time as the team that miraculously knocked off Duke in the Final Four.