Duke and UConn are no strangers to the late rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils and Huskies have combined to win almost one-third of the men's basketball national championships since 1991. Five of the 10 all-time meetings between these two illustrious programs have come in postseason play, and they'll add another high-stakes bout to the list at the Elite Eight in Washington, D.C. Duke and UConn have been among the nation's premier teams all season long, but only one will punch a ticket to Indianapolis.
The Blue Devils
Duke (35-2, 17-1 ACC), the No. 1 overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, defeated No. 16 Siena, No. 9 TCU, and No. 5 St. John's to reach the East Regional Final. Despite entering as the clear favorites to win the region, the Blue Devils have yet to put together a complete 40 minutes in the NCAA Tournament. Most recently, Jon Scheyer's squad looked quite out of sorts most of the way against Saint John's before a late surge secured a gritty 80-75 win. Sophomore guard Isaiah Evans finished with a game-high 25 points on 66% from the field, and freshman phenom Cameron Boozer added 22 points and 10 rebounds. Junior guard Caleb Foster returned to action just three weeks removed from surgery on his broken right foot, contributing 11 points and playing a key role in the victory. The Blue Devils rarely struggle with little things like inbounding the ball and telegraphing passes like they did against SJU, but they will need a much tighter start against UConn to reach the Final Four. Limiting Tarris Reed's impact down low should be a point of emphasis for Duke's frontcourt.
The Huskies
UConn (32-5, 17-3 Big East), the No. 2 seed in the East region, reached the Elite Eight with wins over No. 15 Furman, No. 7 UCLA, and No. 3 Michigan State. Dan Hurley's group opened the Sweet 16 contest against Michigan State on fire, jumping out to a 25-6 advantage. The Spartans chipped away at the deficit and even took the lead in the second half, but the Huskies pulled out a 67-63 win with better offensive execution down the stretch. Tarris Reed tallied 20 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Alex Karaban's 17 points were punctuated by a dagger three in crunch time. The Huskies caught Michigan State off guard with six threes in the first ten minutes. With a number of perimeter threats on the roster, effective long-range shooting will be an X-factor for UConn after Duke surrendered 13 triples against St. John's.
Duke vs. UConn: When and Where
Date:Â Sunday, March 29, 2026, 5:05 pm ET
Location:Â Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Duke vs. UConn: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch (TV):Â CBS
Streaming:Â FuboTV, Paramount+, March Madness Live
Duke vs. UConn: Series History
All-time series: Duke leads 6-4
Last meeting:Â Duke 66, UConn 56 (December 12, 2014)
Projected Starting Lineups
(1) Duke Blue Devils
Cayden Boozer (7.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.9 APG, 49.3% FG, 29.2% 3PT)
Isaiah Evans (15.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.3 APG, 2.0 SPG, 43.4% FG, 36.2% 3PT)
Cameron Boozer (22.4 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 4.1 APG, 55.9% FG, 39.6% 3PT)
Dame Sarr (6.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.1 APG, 39.4% FG, 31.5% 3PT)
Maliq Brown (5.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.8 SPG, 62.9% FG)
(2) UConn Huskies
Silas Demary Jr. (10.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 45.6% FG, 40.5% 3PT)
Solo Ball (13.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.8 SPG, 39.3% FG, 29.8% 3PT)
Braylon Mullins (12.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.5 APG, 43.5% FG, 33.2% 3PT)
Alex Karaban (13.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.3 APG, 48.3% FG, 39.3% 3PT)
Tarris Reed Jr. (14.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 2.0 BPG, 62.1% FG)
It's not altogether surprising to see Duke and UConn on this stage. Both programs entered the season with lofty expectations; Duke to reach a second consecutive Final Four, and UConn to reach its third in four years. Each of these squads has the requisite pieces to win the national championship, but for one, the road will end in Washington, D.C.